CALL AND EMAIL NOW! TELL WAYNE COUNTY PROSECUTOR KYM WORTHY TO DROP THE CHARGES! PROTESTING IS NOT A CRIME!

On the morning of July 16th, 2025, protesters gathered outside of the entrance of the ReIndustrialize 2.0 Summit, where they chanted at the attendees entering, many of whom represented or came to rub elbows with war profiteers complicit in genocide, war, and deportations. Amongst these protesters were DAWC Steering Committee Chairs Jo and Michael, who led the crowd in chanting using megaphones. After two hours of yelling as people entered, DPD Sergeant Wallet approached Michael, telling them they cannot use the megaphone within 10ft of people. At the same time, an officer got into Jo’s face, and told him, “The megaphones are going to stop.” When Jo continued to chant, three officers manhandled him and stole his megaphone. Michael’s was stolen seconds later. DPD continues to hold the megaphones as “evidence.”

It was 3rd Precinct Commander Matthew Fulgenzi who gave the orders to remove the megaphones and move the protesters to a “designated protest area.” When he spoke with Michael and Jo, he refused to give his badge number. He cited “security reasons” as the rationale behind his orders, and he refused to explain what security risks we posed.

Jo and Michael were subsequently charged with misdemeanors for “endangering the health, peace, and safety” of the attendees. They have yet to be assigned court dates.

Detroit Anti-War Committee condemns these charges as a blatant attack on Jo and Michael’s first amendment rights. DPD targeted Michael and Jo because their method of protest was effective. The attendees of the ReIndustrialize 2.0 Summit did not feel comfortable entering an event where there was audible resistance to their presence. The Summit organizers and its speakers, particularly Mayor Mike Duggan, recognized that the demonstrators ruined the marketability of the event.

Commander Fulgenzi and DPD attacked Jo and Michael in defense of the Summit and the interests of some of Detroit’s elite, including Mike Duggan and Dan Gilbert. They have attempted to repress our movement by claiming Michael and Jo posed a threat to people’s health, safety, and peace. However, it was DPD who physically endangered the protesters. The enemies of peace are the war profiteers, government officials, Mayor Mike Duggan, billionaire Dan Gilbert and the complicit attendees of the event. Jo and Michael represent the opposite values. They are strong and compassionate leaders in DAWC who work hard to see Detroit divest from genocide and war profiteers. We demand their charges be dropped and their megaphones be returned to them!