Seth Stern
@seth-stern.bsky.social
7.9K followers 580 following 200 posts
Director of Advocacy @freedom.press
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seth-stern.bsky.social
It's great that this TRO will issue. The lawyers and plaintiffs deserve tons of credit for making this happen.

But why is Judge Ellis walking back the position of the DOJ and at least one federal appellate court that journalists can't be dispersed at protests?
Reposted by Seth Stern
djbyrnes1.bsky.social
Back in federal judge Sara Ellis' courtroom in Chicago for a second day of discussion on a proposed restraining order to rein in federal immigration agents' violent behavior.

Debate began on this issue on Monday, and ended without the court entering a formal order.
djbyrnes1.bsky.social
@unraveledpress.com & other press have been threatened, shot with less-lethals and arrested while reporting on federal immigration activities in Chicagoland and on the resulting protests at Broadview.

I'm now at a hearing asking the federal court to rein ICE & co in. I'll let you know how it goes.
unraveledpress.com
Well, yeah, we're suing ICE.

This wasn't really a hard decision. As little faith as we have in institutions, we recognize the value of drawing visible lines in the sand. We drew ours personally a while ago, but better late than never.

May every protester be freed and may this occupation end.
seth-stern.bsky.social
The DOJ agrees with the plaintiffs here, or at least did last time they chimed in.

They’ve twice said that journalists have a constitutional right to cover protest dispersals which obviously requires them to be allowed to stay after protesters are dispersed.
Reposted by Seth Stern
peternickeas.bsky.social
I've never seen such escalation and use of force toward ends I just could not see. There was no real property destruction, no pushing into the neighborhoods to make arrests, very little obstructing of traffic. Saw chemicals and bangs deployed down streets the feds were not facing and did not travel.
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
Corporate media could learn a thing or two from the Stanford Daily about fighting back.

With the help of @thefireorg.bsky.social, the Daily is suing over Trump’s anti-speech deportation tactics.

Read more about why, in our interview with Editor-in-Chief Greta Reich.
Student journalists fight Trump’s anti-speech deportations
‘Whether working for or speaking to our newspaper, no one should fear deportation for what they have to say,’ said The Stanford Daily Editor-in-Chief Greta Reich
freedom.press
Reposted by Seth Stern
unraveledpress.com
Happening now: at Kedzie and 40th, where Border Patrol agents just opened fire on rapid response this afternoon. A woman CFD says they found after the incident is reported in fair condition.

A growing number of outraged neighbors have gathered across from ICE/CBP agents who have closed Kedzie.
Reposted by Seth Stern
pgeddington.com
Resistance to armed fascist oppression comes in many forms. 😎
ronfilipkowski.bsky.social
Kristi Noem is mad they wouldn’t let her in to use the restroom in Illinois today.
Reposted by Seth Stern
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
Proud to partner with @theintercept.com on this article by Jeremy Busby of @joinjeremy.org.

Jamming cell phones in prisons isn't about crime, it's about stopping incarcerated people from exposing abuses, like those shown in the upcoming @hbo.bsky.social documentary The Alabama Solution.
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
Tell your lawmakers to speak out against ICE’s repeated brutal assaults on journalists in Chicago, New York, and elsewhere.

It only takes a minute with our new action center tool.
Protect Journalists Covering Protests
Defending press freedom for the next generation
freedom.press
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
The hate crime charge against Alexa Wilkinson for photographing vandalism of the New York Times building is a dangerous precedent, no matter what you think of Wilkinson.
Journalist or not, photography isn’t a hate crime
Gatekeeping over hate crime charges misses the forest for the trees
freedom.press
Reposted by Seth Stern
reazlepuff.bsky.social
What the fuck do you mean I got a longer prison sentence than Diddy
phillewis.bsky.social
NEW YORK (AP) — Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sentenced to 4 years and 2 months in prison in case involving sex workers, violence and ‘freak-offs’.
A photo of Diddy
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
Journalist Mario Guevara is being deported because the American government punishes reporters to protect its own power.

We should all be outraged.

freedom.press/issues/mario...
Quote card from FPF Advocacy Director Seth Stern
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
Griffith was found guilty of failure to disperse and fined $50.

That's unconstitutional -- even the DOJ recognizes journalists' right to cover how law enforcement disperses protesters.

But it also shows what a giant waste of taxpayer funds it is to prosecute journalists for doing their jobs.
freedom.press
Student journalist Lucas Griffith faces trial today for covering a protest against the deportation of Ayman Soliman, who himself fled persecution for his journalism in Egypt.

Lucas did nothing wrong. This is a big deal and would be national news in normal times.
On trial for journalism in Kentucky.
Two months after their arrests while covering a protest, a pair of local reporters face criminal charges.
www.cjr.org
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
“DHS is taking their war on civilians -- and especially on journalists -- to the sky.”
adamrose.bsky.social
FAA has issued MASSIVE temporary flight restriction which prohibits drones (i.e., photography) over Chicago.

They did similar around federal buildings in Los Angeles since June protests, but really no comparison...

Chicago's TFR covers 900x more area than ones in LA! 🧵👇
tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=d...
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
Use this tool from @rightsdissent.bsky.social to tell the State Department to demand Israel release these activists and journalists.

secure.rightsanddissent.org/a/state-dept...
freedom.press
A US journalist is on board. The State Dept. should be all over this and it should be headline news.

Neither is likely, because the government considers critics of Israel terrorists and the media often shuns reporters who oppose slaughtering their Palestinian colleagues.
dropsitenews.com
🚨 BREAKING: The Sirius-Haifa (carrying Drop Site editor Alex Colston) has been boarded by Israeli military...Contact with Colston has been lost; as part of security protocols, he and other...

🎥 “The Ship Sirius: A day in the life,” a video report from Alex Colston (@recolston.bsky.social)...
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
Student journalist Lucas Griffith faces trial today for covering a protest against the deportation of Ayman Soliman, who himself fled persecution for his journalism in Egypt.

Lucas did nothing wrong. This is a big deal and would be national news in normal times.
On trial for journalism in Kentucky.
Two months after their arrests while covering a protest, a pair of local reporters face criminal charges.
www.cjr.org
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
Another reporter, Madeline Fening, had her trial postponed to January. Griffith was offered the extension but declined.

The postponement arose from prosecutors admitting they'd offered to drop the cases if journalists essentially gave up the right to sue.

That's unethical and unconstitutional.
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
Write a letter to your lawmakers using our action center tool urging them to vocally oppose journalist Mario Guevara's deportation.

Guevara could be kicked out of the country as early as this week. He is legally authorized to work here and is not charged with any crime.
Hold ICE Accountable
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is attacking and intimidating journalists who report on their unlawful tactics.
freedom.press
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
"This decision does real damage to bedrock principles of press freedom, and we urge the Court of Appeals to re-hear this case with a full panel of judges," @trevortimm.bsky.social said.

view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/175...
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
Write a letter to your lawmakers using our action center tool urging them to vocally oppose journalist Mario Guevara's deportation.

Guevara could be kicked out of the country as early as this week. He is legally authorized to work here and is not charged with any crime.
Reposted by Seth Stern
freedom.press
amNY warned about the extreme hostility to journalists from ICE agents at immigration courts in NY months ago.

Now their reporter Dean Moses is one of several senselessly assaulted by ICE for doing their jobs. www.amny.com/immigration/...