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Protesters Outside Philadelphia DA's Office Demand Charges Be Dropped For Those Arrested During Protests

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The fate of those arrested during the unrest is triggering more protests in Philadelphia. On Monday night, protesters demanded the district attorney drop charges.

With fists raised, a few dozen protesters with the Philly Black Radical Collective gathered outside of District Attorney Larry Krasner's offices in Center City Monday.

With snacks, water and music, the protest had more of a laid-back feel but the message was very serious.

"We're here to make sure that Black people who took part in the protest between May and June are not going to jail behind charges that we feel are illegitimate," Megan Malachi said.

Malachi is an organizer with Philly Real Justice, part of the Philly Black Radical Collective. She says the gathering was meant to make it clear to DA Krasner.

"We want to make sure that our people who felt the need to use various measures to get free are not penalized by the system," Malachi said.

That includes dismissing charges from those arrested during protests in late May and June at various places throughout Philadelphia.

In a statement, DA spokesperson Jane Roh writes, in part: "This office, under the leadership of District Attorney Krasner, is applying individualized justice as always. No one who is found to have been simply exercising their constitutionally protected right to protest will be criminally prosecuted. People who caused harm to their communities will be held accountable in ways that are just and, where appropriate, restorative."

But that's not enough, says Malachi, who wants all charges dropped.

"As we saw today, Larry Krasner is not supportive of that, and we want to make sure that our people are getting out of jail, that they are not facing charges under this system," she said.

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