Booking photo for Maurice Schwenkler, who also goes by the name Ariel Attack. (Photo/DPD handout)
DENVER — The suspect arrested Tuesday morning on charges of smashing 11 windows at the state Democratic Party headquarters is a transgendered “Denver-based anarchist” who goes by the name “Ariel Attack,” according to postings on numerous anarchist and radical gay-rights websites. A fundraising plea circulated by the self-described “radical queer group” Denver Bash Back! seeks donations to raise the $5,000 bail set for 24-year-old Maurice Schwenkler, who is “listed in the jail records and media under her birth name.”
The postings asked “people to NOT call the jail and potentially out Ariel, which would create a very dangerous situation,” noting that “Jail is a dangerous place for everyone, but especially trans people.”
A hearing was set for Wednesday morning for Attack, who faces charges of felony criminal mischief, according to the Denver Anarchist Black Cross.
By early Wednesday afternoon, Attack’s backers had raised the money for her bail, according to a spokesman, for Denver Anarchist Black Cross, but the group will continue taking donations through a PayPal account “for what will probably be a protracted legal battle.”
Police said another unidentified suspect in the vandalism remains at large. At least two hammer-wielding, bicycle-riding vandals were discovered smashing windows at the office at about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, police said. Police said they apprehended Schwenkler after a brief chase.
A smashed window at Colorado Democratic Party headquarters in Denver on Tuesday. (Photo/Ernest Luning)
Colorado Democratic Party Chairwoman Pat Waak estimated damage at $10,000 on Tuesday after discovering the broken windows. The Democrats are also appealing for donations to pay for repairs.
Waak originally blamed conservative opponents to Democratic health care reform for the vandalism, pointing out that windows were smashed in front of health care posters, but walked it back when Schwenkler’s name appeared on a campaign finance document showing he’d been paid last November by a Democratic get-out-the-vote organization.
Attack, listed as an “occasional contributor” to the Queers Against Obama blog, recently wrote a post blasting President Barack Obama, saying “the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ has nothing to do with gay rights, but rather is a plan to fill the US military with more queer bodies.”
Here’s the post identifying the suspect arrested Monday night as Ariel Attack and asking for help raising bail:
Ariel Attack, a Denver-based anarchist, was arrested at 2:27am Tues, 24 here in Denver for allegedly smashing 11 windows of the Democratic Party headquaters at 777 Santa Fe Drive.
Right now we are trying to raise the bail money for her to get out of jail; her bail hearing will be tomorrow at 10am Denver time. Several lawyers have told us to expect anywhere from between $3,000 to $10,000 in bail, and due to the high publicity of the case here in Denver, we are expecting higher (lead story for most all local news outlets, and being picked up by national news networks).
At this moment, we do not know Ariel’s status within the jail, especially regarding her gender classification. We have been unable to talk with Ariel since she went in. She is listed in the jail records and media under her birth name. We also do not know what plans, if any, she had made for this situation.
As such, Denver BB! and all of her friends and community are calling out hoping to raise the money to at least make bond. Jail is a dangerous place for everyone, but especially trans people, and we make every effort to get our friends and comrades out. We are also asking people to NOT call the jail and potentially out Ariel, which would create a very dangerous situation. Interaction with the jail is being done by people here in Denver in very specific ways to create the maximum amount of safety possible for Ariel.
People will be meeting up outside of the courthouse (14th and Bannock, across from civic center park) at 9:30 before going into court. All people are welcome.
Below is a link to the paypal account which will deposit money into the FREE ARIEL ATTACK FUND!!! Please do what you can to help get an amazing friend and comrade out of jail and back into her community. Also below are links to some of the corporate media stories about her arrest.