Judge Found That Government ‘Selectively’ Prosecuted Right-Wing Rioters While Ignoring Antifa

A California judge dismissed charges against two members of the conservative agitator group Rise Against Movement (RAM), finding that the federal government engaged in "selective prosecution" by not charging left-wing rioters who participated in the same type of violence as the two RAM rioters.

The RAM agitators are named Robert Rundo and Robert Boman. They attended a pro-Donald Trump "free speech" rally in Berkeley on April 15, 2017. As members of RAM, they vow to resist fear of violent far-left organizations, like Antifa and By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) – as was the case during the rally.

"Antifa and related far-left groups decided they needed to ‘shut this down.’ … They came prepared for violence, bringing weapons including pepper spray, fireworks, knives, and homemade bombs," Judge Cormac J. Carney of the US District Court for the Central District of California wrote on February 21, via The Daily Wire.  "And they used those weapons, as well as their bodies, against Trump supporters and law enforcement."

"No individuals associated with the left, who engaged in anti-far-right speech and violently suppressed the protected speech of Trump supporters, were charged with a federal crime for their part in starting riots at political events. That is textbook viewpoint discrimination," Carney added. 

Man injured by Antifa, via Daily Wire.

Members of both RAM and Antifa engaged in violence to silence protected speech during the event. The only difference is what type of speech they sought to silence – and which members were arrested and prosecuted.

Judge Carney concludes:

"Most telling in this case is the government’s silence as to why it never pursued a case against a single member of Antifa or related far-left groups with respect to their violent conduct at pro-Trump events."

"Of the 20 people arrested at the April 2017 Berkeley rally, the government charged only Defendants and other members of RAM under the Anti-Riot Act. The government charged no members of Antifa, BAMN, or other far-left groups under the Anti-Riot Act for their use of violence to shut down the rally."

Antifa member pouring water on disabled veteran, via Daily Wire.

The criminals were treated differently based on their political missions. That should never be the case in this country. Ever. Any argument otherwise argues in favor of selective domestic terrorism.

Ultimately, Carney dismissed the charges based on February 21. However, the Justice Department obtained a warrant to take Rundo back into custody, saying he was "an extremely serious flight risk."

Rundo remains in custody.