Welcome to FreeJasonRobbins.com, a website dedicated to informing and raising money for Jason Robbins, a 26 year old member of the Philadelphia Chapter of Anti-Racist Action, who was arrested on Sunday, December 4, at a peaceful demonstration in support of Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender rights and reproductive freedom in Phoenixville, PA. Jason was badly beaten by police and had to be hospitalized.
The demonstration took place outside the home of two organizers with the notorious queer-bashing and anti-reproductive freedomorganization, Repent America, whose members regularly harass and intimidate members of the L/G/B/T community and disrupt events such as AIDS fundraisers and pride festivals. Repent America has known links to the White Rose Society, who advocate for and support the bombing of abortion clinics. The leader of the group, Michael Macarvage, is quoted as saying:
"It's the government's job to enforce God's law and to uphold his law,and the Bible talks about how [homosexuals] are to be put to death.The wages of sin is death. But I want to make [it] clear that I'm not advocating the [independent] killing of homosexuals. I'm saying that the government's duty is to uphold God's law. I know that's harsh, but we have all broken the law, God's law, and we need to be held accountable." (Philadelphia City Paper, Jesus Geek Superstar, February3- 9, 2005)
Read more about Christian Fascist Repent America and its leader Michael Marcavage.
The legality of home demonstrations has been clearly established through various precedents, but police forcibly ended the gathering, arresting the three individuals, severely injuring one of them. A similar demonstration took place earlier in the day in a neighboring town, and although police were present, it proceeded without any incident whatsoever.
Despite the fact that Jason was peacefully attempting to call attention to the Repent America organizers' attempts to incite violence against queer and transgender individuals and terrorize their communities, he has been charged with violating a provision of the USA PATRIOT Act, ostensibly a set of anti-terrorist laws, which have instead been used to target nonviolent political activists. By using the USA PATRIOT Act against such activists, law enforcement personnel are attempting to equate peaceful protest, and even dissent itself, with terrorism. This has a chilling effect on individuals' willingness to publicly disagree with government policy, or even with organizations such as Repent America, which regularly attempt to incite violence against women and queers.
The misuse of the USA PATRIOT Act is only one tactic used by law enforcement agencies in the war against dissent. Jason had been violently thrown to the ground and then slammed into the side of a car before being taken away. He was charged with aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and reckless endangerment; none of the four charges relate to the original justification for his arrest: refusing to supply ID.
Thank you so much for your continuing support!
Much Love and Solidarity,
Jason Robbins Support Committee
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