Speaking so defiantly in front of a judge is essentially unheard of, and heavily frowned upon, in ordinary criminal cases. But nothing about Zoe’s case was ordinary. It was not ordinary that the District Attorney chose to charge her with a felony for ‘conspiring’ to trespass, or that her trial took seven weeks, or that Perdue’s expensive lawyers watched the entire case, or that the defendant - Zoe - took the stand and openly admitted to exactly what she did.

As a result, the impact of her trial was also anything but ordinary.

Over 1,000 press hits. 250 million views on social media. 40,000 emails sent to Governor Newsom this month asking him to pardon Zoe. Hundreds of activists attending court support. Perdue completely on the defensive. A chance to make case law through an appeal.

This is the power of open rescue. This is what happens when we don’t shy away from saying what we believe and when we back those words up with action.

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