RantCrush Top 5: August 17, 2017

This morning in Durham, North Carolina, a big group of residents lined up to turn themselves in for the toppling of a Confederate monument on Monday evening. After the statue was removed, four people who led the organized protest were charged with two misdemeanors and two felonies. One of them had her first court appearance yesterday and the other three this morning. “The charges reflect a deeply racist and white supremacist system,” said Loan Tran, one of the arrested. Three more activists who had warrants out for their arrests turned themselves in this morning.

But they were not alone in toppling the statue, and a group of about 100 people gathered for a peaceful rally outside the courthouse to protest the charges. Then everyone lined up outside the courthouse to try and turn themselves in. It was a moving display of solidarity in a time of division.

Wow! Line of residents in Durham, NC attempting to turn themselves in for ‘crime’ of removing Confederate Monuments

(photo Katina Parker) pic.twitter.com/DjdNS8S6rc

— Auburn (@AuburnSeminary) August 17, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.