I pled "not guilty" yesterday. Brad Lander Substack

[Passages]

Someone did "unreasonably obstruct the usual use" of the federal building. But it wasn't me.

Brad Lander
Dec 06, 2025

Yesterday, I appeared before Magistrate Judge Henry Ricardo in the U.S. Federal Courthouse for the Southern District in lower Manhattan.

I was arraigned on charges stemming from my arrest on September 18th, along with a dozen other elected officials – when we demanded entry to the area on 10th floor at 26 Federal Plaza that is being used as a detention facility. When we were not allowed entry, we sat on the floor and sang.

For that, we were charged under Section 41 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 41 CFR 102-74, 390(b). The offense we are charged with is: “unreasonably obstructs the usual use of entrances, foyers, lobbies, corridors, offices, elevators, stairways, or parking lots” in the federal courthouse.

Here’s the critical thing: the “usual” use of the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza, prior to this spring, was not as a detention facility, where people who have been violently ripped apart from their families by masked ICE agents – who don’t identify themselves, present a warrant, or give a reason for the arrest – are forced to sleep on the floor, in cruel and inhumane conditions. There’s nothing usual about that.

https://bradlander.substack.com/p/i-pled-not-guilty-yesterday?r=62nhe&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true