Sidney Reid Acquitted After Controversial Arrest Amid Protests

Washington, D.C. — Sidney Reid was acquitted after a three-month legal battle stemming from her arrest by federal agents during a protest in July. Reid did not initially know the plainclothes officers were law enforcement when they grabbed her on the streets.

During an exclusive interview with All Rise News, Reid recounted her experience, saying, “Honestly, the first thing I thought of was [Kyle] Rittenhouse during the whole Black Lives Matter thing.” Reid was referencing the infamous case from five years ago in Kenosha, Wisconsin, when Rittenhouse fatally shot two people during a protest.

Reid faced arrest when an officer threw her against a wall, and she recalled realizing that she was being detained. After three grand jury sessions and a trial jury cleared her name, Reid expressed relief and outrage at the government’s treatment of her.

She noted the increased frequency of grand juries returning “no true bills” and challenged the motivation behind such cases under the Trump administration, highlighting a trend where many criminal charges against activists have been dismissed.

When arrested, Reid recorded the police and remembered an officer stating, “I get to video you if you’re videoing me.” She felt the remark was meant to undermine her rights. During the arrest, she claimed agents used excessive force, scratching her hand as they detained her.

The charge against Reid related to assaulting law enforcement, which carries a potential eight-year sentence if treated as a felony. However, prosecutors opted for a misdemeanor charge, which did not require grand jury review. Reid maintained her innocence throughout the process.

In what she described as a shocking tactic, Reid’s defense team revealed text messages from arresting agent Eugenia Bates, who referred to her injuries as “boo boos” and used derogatory language towards Reid. “The text messages didn’t surprise me that much just because of how I was being spoken to while I was in the car with the ICE agents,” Reid remarked.

On the eve of the trial, Reid expressed deep frustration when prosecutors suddenly declared an inability to proceed. U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan criticized the prosecutorial team for their inconsistencies, stating, “Either your agent lied, or DOC lied, or someone was sloppy.”

Despite avoiding protests at her lawyers’ advice, Reid now vows to continue speaking out against what she perceives as governmental oppression. “This only gives me fire to speak louder and stronger,” she stated.

Reid also turned her attention to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, calling for budget cuts to her office, claiming it wasted resources on minor infractions. “If there are any serious charges to be brought up against anyone, 100 percent, go for it, but these are minor infractions,” Reid said.

Reflecting on her case and its implications, Reid emphasized, “It’s just to quiet people who don’t feel the same way that she does or Trump does. And I think that’s really ridiculous in our nation’s capital to try and silence democracy.”