THREAD

This https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten"> was 3 years ago today.

My @GeorgetownICAP colleagues & I, alongside @MikeSigner & more, sued the unlawful militias that had contributed to violence in Charlottesville exactly 2 months earlier.

And it began a journey that continues. /1 https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/12/politics/charlottesville-militia-lawsuit/index.html">https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/1...

A few months after filing our Charlottesville suit, we at @GeorgetownICAP published a catalogue of state laws that prevent unlawful, unsanctioned private armies.

Here& #39;s the current version of that report, updated to reflect today& #39;s state laws: /2 https://www.law.georgetown.edu/icap/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2018/04/Prohibiting-Private-Armies-at-Public-Rallies.pdf">https://www.law.georgetown.edu/icap/wp-c...

We& #39;ve continued to sue unlawful militias that endanger public safety & chill the exercise of 1st Amendment free expression.

For example, we at @GeorgetownICAP teamed up with @BerncoDa to prevent the unlawful activity of the "New Mexico Civil Guard": /3 https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/14/us/new-mexico-militia-group-lawsuit/index.html">https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/1...

We& #39;ve also created fact sheets for all 50 states explaining the laws barring unauthorized private militia groups & what to do if groups of armed individuals are near a polling place or voter registration drive.

Check out your state here: /4 https://www.law.georgetown.edu/icap/our-work/addressing-the-rise-of-unlawful-private-paramilitaries/state-fact-sheets/">https://www.law.georgetown.edu/icap/our-...

And we& #39;ve prepared a toolkit discussing legal principles, best practices, & creative solutions upon which local jurisdictions may draw to protect public safety while respecting constitutional rights.

Take a look here: https://constitutionalprotestguide.org/ICAP-Protest_and_Public_Safety-Toolkit-072720.pdf">https://constitutionalprotestguide.org/ICAP-Prot... /5

Finally, check out my @GeorgetownICAP colleague Mary McCord& #39;s @nytopinion piece on how the plot against Michigan& #39;s Governor reveals the dangers of unaccountable, unlawful private militias: /6 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/08/opinion/militias-gretchen-whitmer.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/0...

This is ultimately a struggle to ensure that government--not private actors--have a monopoly on the use of legitimate force in our society.

That means it& #39;s a struggle for core principles of our democracy.

That struggle continues. /END