The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced Friday it is permanently dismissing charges against protesters who were arrested in the fall of 2020 in downtown Phoenix.
The protesters were arrested last October and accused of being a criminal street gang.
Maricopa County Attorney Alister Adel said Friday those charges would be dropped, with prejudice, meaning they cannot be filed again.
In a statement, Adel said she believed misdemeanor offenses had occurred, but pursuing them would not be worth the county’s time and resources.
Lola N’sangou is the executive director of Mass Liberation. She says the prosecution of the protestors exposed systemic problems.
“Every single piece of evidence they got it fruit from a poisonous tree," she said, "literally based on lies, perjured testimony by police, and collusion.”
N’sangou said they are calling on Adel to resign and threatened that if she did not, community members would work to recall her.
