If you thought Libertarian Activist Adam Kokesh was going to get in trouble for his armed July 4th march on Washington D.C., you may be wrong. It seems trouble has preemptively found Kokesh before his plans could come to fruition. On May 18th, Kokesh was arrested at “Smoke Down Prohibition”, a pro-marijuana rally in Philadelphia, and has been held in Federal prison ever since. Federal Parks Police and local Philly P.D. scooped up Kokesh [Video Here] and charged him, initially, with resisting arrest and then later added a charge of assaulting a police officer. According to Kokesh’s official Facebook page, he will remain in Federal custody until at least Tuesday the 28th. Adam vs the Man employees and fans are adamant that Kokesh was wrongfully arrested and is being held as a political prisoner for exercising his First Amendment rights.

In light of these events and its seemingly coincidental timing in relation to the July 4th armed march, I reached out to a former employee of Adam Kokesh. Charlie Free was a Producer for the Adam vs the Man podcast and is still in contact with the team. I asked him a set of questions about the incident and his thoughts on what the future holds for Adam and his internet empire:

Do you think Adam’s arrest and detention is justified?

- Absolutely not, it’s very clear to anyone who has seen the video that he did not resist, unless you call putting your arms up to show you have nothing to hide “resisting.” There was no good reason for the feds to take him, he did not smoke any controlled substances, nor did he pose any threat. -Of course days later they had to add assaulting a federal officer to the list of charges, because they didn’t have anything to pin him on. In order to resist arrest, they have to try and arrest you first. Giving way to the famous meme saying “You are arrested, for not being arrested.” -quite Orwellian.

Have you spoken to any of your former co-workers about the situation?

- Yes in fact I have, everyone’s trying their best to hold down the fort and deal with all the commotion. That place is always busy, and with all the new attention they’re doing their best to represent AVTM and I’m quite proud of them.

What is your overall feeling or thoughts on the incident?

- I was surprised really, It’s very obvious this was preemptive. If their analysis tells them to preemptively jail Adam Kokesh, then the soft power of his civil disobedience must truly be a threat to the state.

Why do you think they took him away?

- Adam (as libertarians and anarchists do) believes in daily civil disobedience to unjust authority. Demonstrating that we are free individuals is something the state doesn’t take lightly, and leading an armed march (or rather a legal armed rally because we will most likely be blockaded) would be the single largest act of civil disobedience in American history since the civil rights movement. While it is illegal in DC, it is not unlawful. The state in fact being the number one violator of law.

Do you think they are trying to affect the July 4th march in some way?

- I would imagine so, if they can’t stop it, they can at least take out the big loud mouth in front, with all the smooth rhetoric that comes along with it.

Do you think they have a case against Adam?

- Considering the arrest was unlawful to begin with, I would definitely say NO. But stranger things have happened in this farce of a justice system.

If convicted, how do you think Adam will react? How will Adam vs Man be effected?

- Adam is the most strong willed person I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with; he will use his martyrdom to up the rhetoric. Knowing Adam, I’m quite sure he would continue his podcasting from a federal prison cell.

Overall as a former employee of Adam Kokesh, is there any thing you’d like to say to the public about this?

- Adam won’t stop, and he is genuine. For those calling him a government shill or a Russian spy or that he’s working for Obama - he doesn’t do what he does to please others, he does it to free minds and free individuals, flexing our natural rights is the only way to keep them fresh. If Adam Kokesh is working for anyone other than himself, I’ll eat my socks. For those calling him a provocateur, eh, maybe a little.

A big thank you to Charlie for participating. You can follow him on twitter @freebeardradio and follow me @SlavLibertarian