Actions and going to the nearby church that evening amid the violence in the white house. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the Civil Liberties briefing under attack examining government violence and civil rights protesters and journalists covering them. I want to thank you for joining us today. The major contribution to the public understanding and the discourse aboutg this moment in ime. We thank you for joining us today. Eight minutes and 46 seconds videotape of george floyd this movement has been Touching Every state, large cities, small towns, cities and suburbs as well as supporting more than two thirds of American Opinion and galvanized the consciousness of the nation with rigorous historical analysis and legislative action. Police brutality has been in essential element to the white e supremacy and Racial Injustice for centuries which is why many of us are proud we passed last thursday on a bipartisan basis the george floyd justified policing act of the most sweeping comprehensive Police Reform bill in the history of the United States of america. But it has itself leadpr to serious violations of the amendment at the hands of government authorities. Here i refer not just to individual Police Officers but officials at all levels from local Police Chiefs all the way up to the attorney general and president of the United States. This is the subject and focuse today. Violence against First Amendment protests threatens the social change in america. Which is why we pass a universal violent felon background check we hope the senate will take up and Domestic Violence. Which is i we had the violence and 2019. Men act recent white supremacist and those ideological extremes hundreds of Americans Last four years including nine africanamericans including those that the mother emanuel churches Charleston South Carolina and then also that the tree of life synagogue 23 latino persons killed at a walmart in El Paso Texas by whites. Supremacist. And in the current wave of current protest and to infiltrate and instigate violence with this traditional nine in on nonviolence and mlk in the silva rights movement. And another killed may 29th the night of the protest in california. And moving in the Judiciary Committee on june 10th although not apprehended at the time certain members tried to point to figure on ea finger but then to be white right we extremist groups one of whom wrote every kind of violence that we see Domestic Violence or white supremacist or threats to people and Police Officers. And those unleashed againstol American People with their political speech reassembly similarly we focus on the path of violence to exercise to cover demonstrations relating to Police Brutality we should never use background conditions or extremist violence with the practice of state violence against the people our government is potent. To teach thehe whole people and that breeds contempt for the law. In my own Opening Statement i want to take a moment to pay a video compilation of attacks and protesters caught on camera over the last several weeks of protests. Please play the video. Back it up. Back up. Back up. Hey oh my i was helping him and cutting his pants trying to look at the wound. Please keep these images in mind with a briefing people often ask me what is the most important part of the constitution . I will talk about Representative Government and separation of powers pr and foreign and domestic arguments with government officials theoretically, but the truth is american democracy live and dies by the First Amendment it is the heart of the constitution and it contains six rights and the president and attorney general bart managed to violate every single right of the First Amendment when they assembled io toret and unidentified unleash pepper spray and tear grass one tear gas to the st. Johns Church Episcopal church in the history of the United States and then holding the bible over his head this cartoonish display of Republican Values tramples theed right to peacefully assemble on the sidewalk without being assaulted by government forces. Or have a list of grievances that are being physically attacked by federal agents. Three, freedom of speech the right to free press, the right to free exercise of Religion Without for the Church Property on political reasons and then bar you fromrc access and finally not to have the right of thehe government established the power which surely is what the president intended to r do in his own incompetent way to grab the bible removing those are both the episcopal and catholic bishops from this idolatry it was blasphemous and unconstitutional as the president trampled the First Amendmentac rights which a lot of religious citizens do take seriously in Lafayette Square its an illustration of the kinds of official abuses of First Amendment rights seen in the Traditional Public Forum of streets and sidewalks and parks thehehe last five weeks since mr. Floyds murdered over 10000 have been arrested protesters and journalist and members of the clergy had been hit with tear gas and pepper hspray. Police look at citywide curfews with intimidation and violence and then standing on those that were Recording Police marches after curfew in los angeles they arrested participants in a peaceful demonstration just because it was after curfew and in Washington Dc Police paddled over 100 protesters onto one block and then to onene house and then would arrest anyone who tried to gost home. We will hear unforgettable testimony from two women today that were protesting and the other from a journalist both were shot in the eye during the protest police use these tactics directly at the heads and faces of protesters and journalists. Over 60 people have suffered serious head injuries at the hands of police at least 20 suffered eye injuries atou least seven have lost and i. The unprovoked offenses are only known because so Many Americans are self exercising the very freedoms under attack captured by journalist and protesters have shown spring tear gas into the crowded buyer reading rubber bullets and indiscriminate ways and even with those walking with their hands in the air one of the more hunting videos as Buffalo Police officer shot a 75 euro protester to the ground with head wounds and leaving emotionless videos have forced police to retract all official statements to excuse or deny this conduct the free press has been targeted cnn news crew on the air cameras were pulled out of the hands of reporters in the Kentucky News crews are shot with rubber bullets and brutalize with policeer shields. The president has praised and encourage this authoritarian response with millions of peacefulnd protesters the talk about the provocateurs another statement of the president ial imagination who has taunted and threatened protesters and have violent injury to pour kerosene on the fire and talks about the enemy of the people of any unflattering reports of fake news they are not the enemies of the people but the peoples best friend those that need to be their own governor arm themselves with the power of knowledge a newspaper without a government i would not hesitate to choose the latter those officials that follow him had been at war with the First Amendment wideopen uninhibited and robust public debate allows protest and controversy and engagement. Destruction of the civil pigliberties is the right for authoritarianism they are not the enemy of the people, they are the people. It american democracy it all belongs to people not to the government much less those who occupy public office. Lets protect the precious First Amendment rights with everything weve got i would like to say one thing about the compilation with the attack on the press. I was lining up a photo and it exploded i immediately realized there was too much blood i couldnt see. So you backed away . Why am i under arrest . Why am i under arrest . You will end up in a place you dont want to be here. Get out of there as quickly as you can. We have plenty of time. Are you okay . Rubber bullets. They are shooting at our crew. Many americans are horrified by the scenes of violence being played out on the streets provide now recognize the Ranking Member for his statement. Thank you mr. Chairman. I couldnt actually see the video. It was sent to your office. Would be nice to be able to see about america lives and dies by the First Amendment that talks about those rights being trampled for the past several months weve seen democrats tell american citizens you cant go to church you cant buy a gun you cant go to your loved ones funeral but somehow with this process in early may 9 protesters with the coronavirus lockdown he told the jewish committed on community it was simple the time has passed even those that were arrested in large groups. We will not allow any kind that months later during the protest what we went to. And then in portland one year ago when he was attacked he ordered the utilities to be shut off. If you try to give someone a haircut they turn off the water and they through stand in the state parks and arrested people going to the beach even by themselves. But yet he knelt down while they were shouting the police while not even wearing a mask while he did that. And then a few months ago said we encourage people to exercise demonstrating as much as possible. That hasnt changed and that is my concern an equal treatment under the law is not just a work that way in our country as the attorney generalat said, the constitution it is not suspended during a crisis but from the actions we have seen from some of these individuals during the coronavirus prohibiting them from exercising First Amendment rights and to purchase a firearm or preventing them from going to their loved ones funeral but when it comes to the protest an entirelym different story. That is my concern so today we will hear from our witness and the witness thatwi we invited is highly unusual thats ever happened is that a briefing ive been a part of we look forward to hearing from his experience dealing with nt for that has threatened him numerous times so with that i yield back and i look forwardn to testimony. First we have a freelance journalist a freelance journalist for asbury park, and next from the backlist institute ate harvard, next an activist and protester. And she has been indicted and last but not least a constituent of mine from st. Johns Episcopal Church in georgetown. Several witnesses are joined by counsel today they may intercede to advise their clients if they may answer a question i know there is Outstanding Litigation and some of the cases that will be discussed today and if necessary we ask the council to identify themselves before speaking. With that a as she may need to close her higher about her head due to her injury that she can still fully participate in answer questions we are extremely grateful to you for joining us today and speaking out about your experience you are now recognized for your five minutes. Thank you mr. Chairman. G and mr. Ranking member today marks the one month anniversary of the last time i had site in both of my eyes. Tomorrow will be the one month anniversary of the morning i woke up in a hospital and doctors informed me i had been blinded in one eye that happened in fewer than 48 hours my name is linda and i am a journalist a writer and a photographer in a published author covering civil unrest in america since 2014 and this is taken me to ferguson to chicago and washington dc to the National Wildlife refuge and minneapolis i went to minneapolis because i expected George Floyds death would be a catalyst for civil unrest i arrived on thursday may 28 and was on the streets taking photos until 4 00 a. M. Friday may 29 i went out again at 8 00 oclock p. M. It had a curfew but press was exempted so we could do our jobs and news i was wearing my usual close tshirts and a pair of shorts with a lot of pockets for had a backpack and i wore my press credentials on a lanyard around my neck i was carry my reporters notebook in my pockets and my recorder also my professional grade nikon camera with full flash protesters could tell immediately i was working asked me more than once who i was working with protesters had no trouble to identify me as a journalists w. As i have learned from covering other mass protests these types ofg events have similar patterns of matter where you go. Police form drinks and push protesters back and then they retreat a few blocks and then they settle in on both sides what everyone waits to see what will happen next i arrived during one of those and i took pictures of the police line because it is my job to explain to the public what is happening on thent street. May 29 when i heard from Protesters Police were shooting teargas nearby i put on my goggles and headed toward the fifth street. Like to share some of the photographs i took at night the show clearly what i saw. Here is one of my photographs showing the police during one of the moments i just described holding the line. What i will show dde you now wee among the last pictures i took with my camera friday night i took them in no mans land between police and protesters is not uncommon for the press to exist in the space particularly photographers. En this is the fifth from the last photograph i took that shows an officer loading the gun on his vest you can probably tell from this photograph what was being used by the police. Now i turn to the third from the last i took, the police are in riot gear that clearly says Minneapolis Police department. Finally here is the last photograph i took before i was shot you can see an officer pointing his gun directly done my camera lens and also at least one other officer is pointing their guns at me. Youll also notice in the photograph a group of officers are Milling Around on the Street Corner this is not a dangerous moment for them it was a moment of pause officers were not part of the rinks that were holding the line. One does not show they are concerned about my presence and i did not feel that they werere in danger i was readily identifiable as press and i was not impeding the police. I recall lining up the last photograph and in pain and wetness i registered adults side and then i realized i was hit in the face with something. My goggles came off and teargas hit my eyes i realized i was bleeding so i kept my eyes shut and i was screaming i am press. I am press hoping that would protect me. Protesters came and took me by the arm i recall someone saying they were taking me to the medic i followed them blindly and let someone bandage my eye. I did not realize how badly i ow. Been hurt but i didnt panic i thought i might need a few stitches. Someone put me into the van and drove me to the hospital. Doctors told me i was going into surgery immediately to try to save my eye i tweeted a photo of my face and a picture of my backpack which i noticed because i wanted friends and family to know i was getting medical care in case somebody saw me on a live stream. I told the world i would be i offline because it is a bad idea to tweet under sedation. Woke up the next day in the hospital doctors came to tell me i lost sight in my left eye. I remember all i wanted was whiskey or steak or cheeseburger but i needed extra bananas for the potassium. I called my husband asked him to fly to minneapolis to drive me home he served with the marine corps in falluja and i have now taken more combat injuries than he has. For the first week i was not allowed to take a shower and trying to wash teargas and blood without getting water on your face i smelled of sharp copper and teargas for a week. I do not know what the rest of my life will be like i do not know if i can ever cover protest again or if my injury will make my work too risky but i will write and i will report i will try to do my job as confidently as i always have i am angry of course and i am grieving and i am worried the United States is becoming a more dangerous place to be a journalist i lost an eye but not any more clarity of a shot in the face for being a reporter im grateful the subcommittee takes up the issue of the First Amendment violation that black lives matter protest i will be as responsive as i can with the hope we have all seen enough rage and pain. Thank you for the opportunity to address the subcommittee i look forward to your questions. Thank you for being with us today and thank youi for your praise for other journalist into the people of america. Mr. Martinez you are recognized for five minutes. Thank you. Thank you very much good morning to the members of the subcommittee for this opportunity to speak before enyou today i am a Staff Reporter for 16 years covering protest and events across three countries for more than abe decade until june 1st i was arrested i was never arrested or