Established Fact
Leaked Zoom call recordings confirmed that ShutDown DC, the Sunrise Movement, and allied organizations conducted pre-election scenario-planning exercises that Hope Neyer of ShutDown DC described as “election meltdown simulations.” These exercises included Philadelphia as a primary site due to its electoral weight in Pennsylvania. Some recordings referenced a fictitious militant network named “Liberty City Antifa” in the context of modeling Election Night direct-action scenarios in Philadelphia.
Established Fact: the simulation exercises and their Philadelphia focus are confirmed by Fox News and Just The News reporting on the leaked recordings.
Citations
Fox News reported on leaked Zoom recordings showing ShutDown DC conducting “election meltdown simulations” that included scenarios for occupying public spaces and intervening in attempts to intimidate voters or seize ballots. Hope Neyer of ShutDown DC confirmed these were “election meltdown simulations.” Fox News, “DC Protesters Organized via Zoom for Months” (Nov. 3, 2020)
Just The News reporting on leaked Zoom calls showing organized protests and unrest preparation: https://justthenews.com/government/security/leaked-zoom-calls-show-extensive-preparation-organized-protests-and-unrest-dc
Accuracy note: The “Liberty City Antifa” designation appears in project source materials as the label given to a Philadelphia-based scenario in ShutDown DC simulations. Politifact (Nov. 5, 2020) found the leaked Zoom videos were selectively edited and that participants were discussing responses to a potential Trump coup rather than planning offensive civil unrest. Fox News could not independently confirm the legitimacy of the recordings with law enforcement. These context notes apply to the Established Fact classification.
Leaked Zoom call recordings confirm ShutDown DC and allied organizations (including what participants called “Liberty City Antifa”) conducted Election Night scenario-planning exercises that included Philadelphia as a primary site due to its electoral weight in Pennsylvania. See Fox News, “DC Protesters Organized via Zoom for Months” (Nov. 3, 2020); Just The News, “Leaked Zoom Calls Show Extensive Preparation for Organized Protests”
18 U.S.C. § 2101 (federal riot statute)
18 Pa.C.S. § 5501 (Pennsylvania riot statute).