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Activist’s Home Raided by SWAT in Herndon, VA

September 2, 2013

When you are a vocal critic of the system, you’re bound to ruffle feathers. And when your critiques involve veiled threats or weapons, you could become a target. One Virginia-area activist, who has most recently taken on gun rights, found out again that the government doesn’t take too kindly to direct challenges when his home was raided by a federal SWAT team recently.

But Kokesh is not going quietly, and is rallying his activist network to a protest march in October.

According to the Washington Post, the problem started when Adam Kokesh posted a video of himself loading a shotgun in D.C.’s Freedom Plaza, a direct violation of the District’s gun laws. Kokesh cites his right to bear arms under the 2nd Amendment as justification for bucking the local ordinance. He also promised to march with armed supporters across Memorial Bridge from Virginia into D.C. but backed down when Metro Police said they would meet him and everyone else on the D.C. side and take them into custody.

Likely, it was the park incident that the U.S. Park Police used as justification for assembling their SWAT team to break in Kodesh’s door on July 9.

Adam KokeshAccording to Kodesh and the people present in his home at the time, the SWAT team busted in the door without announcing who they were, why they were there, or if they had a warrant.  They knocked twice and then used a battering ram. As soon as the door was opened, a flash bang grenade was sent into the foyer.

Police vehicles, helicopters, and even an armored vehicle were on Kodesh’s block as the raid went down. Everyone present was cuffed and placed in a room as the police used blueprints of the home and canines to search the premises.

After five hours, the police gained entry into a safe where they located hallucinogenic mushrooms, allowing them to charge Kodesh with possession of schedule I or schedule II drugs while possession of a firearm. Thus far, it’s the only charge he is facing.

Generally, SWAT teams should be used when someone dangerous could meet them in an arrest. Kodesh’s affinity for weapons was likely used to justify the SWAT usage. But, it really isn’t clear what they were looking for in the first place. If Kodesh was going to be charged for his incident in the park, he could have likely been taken into custody without the raid and search. The evidence is on video. It almost seems as though the police were looking for a reason to take him in. And they found it, in a small amount of drugs.

When you are targeted by law enforcement, it can seem as if they act first and look for justification later. It can seem as if no one is on your side. A local criminal defense attorney can be your advocate when you are caught up in a situation like this. Contact our offices today to discuss your case. 

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