The Freshet Collective

Bail and court support - we post bail for arrestees and communicate with arrestees to inform them of their charges and court dates, help them find attorneys, and help them navigate The court system. We facilitate and, in some cases, fund travel and lodging for arrestees returning for court dates due to criminal charges they face for involvement in demonstrations against The dakota access pipeline and The enbridge line 3 pipeline. Many persons arrested live outside The jurisdiction, have limited funds, limited access to transportation and communication, unstable housing, and other pressing social problems. Many have limited knowledge of how The criminal justice system works. For these reasons, traveling and navigating The court systems is very challenging. In this fiscal year, our principal program efforts involved posting bail for dozens of arrestees in protests of The enbridge line 3 pipeline in northern Minnesota. Defendant and family support - we provide assistance to arrestees and their immediate dependents as their court processes proceed. In some cases, we buy them bus or train tickets, or give them gas cards. We provide food and basic living assistance to The arrestees, including commissary support for jailed arrestees. Criminal defense coordination - we work with criminal defense attorneys to help coordinate The legal defense effort for arrested water protectors. In some cases, we provide funding for attorney fees and expenses for water protectors without sufficient resources to hire their own lawyers and/or who are inadequately served by court-appointed counsel. We communicate regularly with attorneys to ensure that water protectors are being served well. These activities are conducted by Freshet board members and volunteers. This fiscal year it was conducted in northern Minnesota.