In Celebration of Journalist’s Acquittal for Reporting on UC Irvine Gaza Encampment
During a raid on the UC Irvine Gaza Solidarity Encampment in May 2024, police arrested freelance journalist Jacob Hernandez. Despite Hernandez being identified as press, District Attorney Todd Spitzer insisted on prosecuting him for allegedly failing to disperse, in contravention of the First Amendment and California state law.
Spitzer’s attempt to prosecute Hernandez comes as no surprise. The DA has refused to hold police accountable, retaliated against workplace sexual harassment claims, and become Orange County’s “most expensive politician” through liability payouts.
After learning of Hernandez’s prosecution, the Industrial Workers of the World Freelance Journalists Union reached out to him and his attorney, public defender Madeleine Hart, with a letter reaffirming his status as an IWW FJU member and reiterating statutory protections that should have barred Spitzer from pursuing charges. At trial, Hernandez was successfully acquitted, particularly in light of being press.
The IWW FJU celebrates Hernandez’s acquittal and recommits to acting against all those who would attempt to silence journalists, especially those reporting on the ongoing Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip.
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