While the past few months have been extremely challenging, please know that our work continues and our fight for the Equal Rights Amendment will not be silenced or suppressed. EQUAL MEANS EQUAL will continue to fight back agains the illegal withholding of our hard-won rights and push back against the suppression of citizens’ right to protest by the United States government.
As you know, on January 10th of this year, EQUAL MEANS EQUAL staged a large-scale protest action at the National Archives which included the hanging of a 40-foot banner asking President Biden whether his legacy would be that of a “Hero or Zero” in terms of women’s rights and the ERA.
On that day, thirty-six people were detained and seven were arrested. Hope Clark, who was arrested for crossing the police barricade after the action took place, was released and her case was dismissed. The other six, Dave Anderson, Mia Bronner, Adam Eidinger, Arundhati Eidinger, Nevis Gatti, and Jamie Morris, were charged and their case has continued.
On March 18th, 2025, these six courageous activists, now known as the ERA-6, stood before the DC court, facing felony charges for their bold and necessary act of civil disobedience at the National Archives.
EQUAL MEANS EQUAL stands in unwavering solidarity with these brave individuals who risked their freedom to demand what should have been enshrined in our Constitution long ago – full and unequivocal equality under the law.
Their action was not reckless. It was not violent. It was not criminal. It was an act of righteous defiance against a system that has delayed, denied, and dismissed the rights of people for over a century.
We honor them for their bravery and for helping us shine a light on the urgent need for ERA publication.
When the ERA-6 entered the courtroom, they did not walk alone. They carried with them the strength of generations who fought before them, the voices of millions who stand behind them, and the undeniable truth that justice is on their side.
The Equal Rights Amendment is not a suggestion, nor a dream, but the law of the land.
Press Release March 31st, 2025:
EQUAL MEANS EQUAL CONDEMNS UNFAIR TREATMENT OF ERA-6 ACTIVIST ADAM EIDINGER
AS COURT PROCEEDINGS REVEAL TARGETED PROSECUTION
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On January 10, 2025, and related to the final days of President Biden’s administration, the National Archives was the backdrop of a visually stunning act of civil disobedience demanding that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) be recognized as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. EQUAL MEANS EQUAL along with independent activists conducted a peaceful yet striking one-of-a-kind demonstration that included unfurling a 40-foot banner down the front of the National Archives building featuring an image of President Biden reading: “PUBLISH E.R.A. HERO OR ZERO.”
Photo Credit: Sue Dorfman
DC Metropolitan Police reacted swiftly, detaining 36 individuals, including a journalist covering the action. Of those detained, seven activists were formally arrested and charged. One was later released, leaving six activists now known as the ERA-6 to spend 38 hours in jail.
Subsequently, President Joe Biden proclaimed the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment to be “the law of the land” on January 17, 2025—the very last day before the transition to the new administration—but chose not to directly address those involved in the direct action or intervene in their pending case.
On March 18, 2025, five of the six charged with unlawful entry and 2nd degree theft agreed to deferred prosecution agreements (a pathway for dismissal) including a 4-month stay away from the National Mall, serving 32-hours of community service and 4-months of unsupervised probation.
The ERA-6 from Left to right: Mia Bronner, Adam Eidinger, Arundhati Eidinger, Jamie Morris, Nevis Gatti, and Dave Anderson
UNEQUAL JUSTICE: ADAM EIDINGER TARGETED WITH HARSHER PENALTIES
On March 18, as the ERA-6 appeared in court, a disturbing injustice emerged when long time activist, Adam Eidinger, was singled out for harsher prosecution despite playing no direct role in hanging the 40-foot banner, and instead was only on the scene to communicate with law enforcement to assure them this was a peaceful demonstration. Among those hanging the banner was his daughter Arundhati Eidinger who accepted the deferred prosecution agreement.
Adam Eidinger rejected an offer of pleading guilty to unlawful entry as he did not enter the public building and the steps of the National Archives are a public place. Had Eidinger pled guilty he would have received a 6-month probationary period with a 30-day suspended sentence with probation and a “stay-away” order from the National Mall. He will return for a status hearing on April 7, 2025 to DC Superior Court courtroom 314 at 9:30 am. At this time Eidinger plans to fight and go to trial for what can only be explained as politically motivated treatment by the US Attorneys.
“This is blatant political prosecution. Adam Eidinger did not participate in hanging the banner. He was present solely as a police observer and to support his daughter and friends, who were involved in hanging the banner. Despite this, Adam faces a harsher penalty than those who took direct action,” says Kamala Lopez, President of EQUAL MEANS EQUAL, who was also on the scene of the demonstration on the same steps as Mr. Eidinger but not charged with any crime. “The reality is that the United States government is illegally withholding the civil rights of half of its population by failing to publish the duly ratified ERA. It is, in fact, our obligation as citizens to speak out when this kind of injustice occurs.”
On Left, EME President Kamala Lopez talks to journalist Ford Fischer on the steps of the National Archives – photo by Adam Eidinger
TARGETING ACTIVISTS FOR PEACEFUL PROTEST
Adam Eidinger is a longtime left-leaning Democrat and activist with a history of peaceful protest going back 31 years in the District of Columbia. He is well known for backing numerous ballot measures that have been approved by DC voters since he proposed Initiative 71 in 2014 that legalized cannabis and ended about 6,000 marijuana arrests in the District that were happening annually. Since then, he’s backed raising the minimum wage, decriminalizing plant medicines, and recently was the Secretary for Initiative 83 that passed overwhelmingly to institute ranked choice voting and semi-open primaries in DC elections. For 23 years, he’s worked with Dr. Bronner’s, the mission-driven family soapmaker. Eidinger has a prior conviction for a similar nonviolent protest eight years ago. Even the judge presiding in court on March 18 questioned the U.S. Attorney as to why Mr. Eidinger was being prosecuted differently, and in response she said, “I do not know why,” but it was indicated to Eidinger’s Attorney Robert Haferd that the decision was made by superiors.
The discrepancy of legal jeopardy raises serious concerns about selective prosecution. “Why is Adam Eidinger facing a harsher penalty than those who physically hung the banner? Why is a father who stood in support of his daughter and her equal rights being punished more severely than those who engaged in direct action?” asks Lopez who adds, “The prosecution is targeting someone who was simply observing and assisting the police in understanding the intentions of those hanging the giant pro-ERA banner. It’s concerning.”
DAUGHTER SAYS FIRST AMENDMENT UNDER ATTACK
“The hanging of the banner was an act of peaceful free speech and should be protected under the First Amendment. No property was harmed and instead of recognizing this as a lawful protest, the government has chosen to criminalize dissent and target high-profile activists like my father with disproportionate punishment,” says ERA Activist Arundhati Eidinger.
Arundhati Eidinger under arrest; photo by her father, Adam Eidinger
“As a young woman demanding the ERA to be fully recognized under the Constitution, through peaceful protest, why should my father be punished more than I when all he did was make sure I was safe? My father’s history with grassroots activism and politics does not warrant unequal treatment under the law. This discriminatory behavior should not go unnoticed and is not what the First Amendment is about,” says ERA activist Arundhati Eidinger.
EQUAL MEANS EQUAL DEMANDS JUSTICE
EQUAL MEANS EQUAL stands in solidarity with the ERA-6 and demands:
-That Adam Eidinger receives the same fair terms as his fellow activists and not be targeted for his history of peaceful protest.
-That President Trump intervenes to stop the selective prosecution of activists based on their political beliefs.
-That the Department of Justice uphold the First Amendment rights of all Americans and end the political targeting of progressive activists.
-That the US Government immediately publishes and enforces the ERA and provides women with Strict Scrutiny under our laws.
The fight for the Equal Rights Amendment will not be silenced by political prosecution.
EQUAL MEANS EQUAL will continue to stand with those who refuse to let this moment be ignored.
Stay tuned as EME will keep you updated on when and how you can remain involved. As always, we are grateful for your support and commitment to equality for all.
With love and thanks,
Kamala, Rachel, the EME-6 and Team EME
