Activists face decades in prison for allegedly throwing bike at police chief a Republican National Convention
Camilo Viveiros and Eric Steinberg, both accused of involvement in an incident at the Republican National Convention in which a bicycle was allegedly thrown at police chief John Timoney and other officers, may be facing decades behind bars, and need your help. Even after numerous charges against the pair were dropped at an October hearing (which the government is appealing!), Camilo is still facing 2 felonies and 3 misdemeanors, including felony assault, and Eric is facing one felony and two misdemeanors. Camilo\’s lawyers believe he could face 15-30 years in prison if convicted.
Camilo and Eric were held on $450,000 bail for two weeks after the convention, and finally released on $150,000 bail. They have been tried in the press and denounced by Philadelphia politicians as violent outside agitators. One officer suffered a concussion in the incident, and getting a fair trial under the circumstances may be difficult.
These cases are part of the severe legal crackdown on protesters at the RNC, and are aimed to have a chilling effect on future protests, scaring people from going into the streets. Don\’t let them make an example of Camilo and Eric!
Funds are desperately needed to fight these cases. For more information or to make contributions, contact Friends of Camilo, PO Box 58247, Philadelphia, PA 19102, stayingstrong@hotmail.com.