Michaela Hatton is the young African-American woman arrested in the early morning hours of June 15 during a Black Lives Matter protest outside the Richmond Police Department headquarters on West Grace Street. She has been charged with two felonies: inciting to riot and assault on a law enforcement officer. Together, the charges carry penalties of up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to $5,000. The police are saying Michaela hit an officer with a bullhorn. Eyewitnesses have contradicted that claim, and further have charged that the police pepper-sprayed the loud but peaceful protesters without provocation. After Michaela was arrested, police said they would not process her for release until all the protesters had left the area, in effect holding her hostage in exchange for ending a legal demonstration. Michaela is a 2020 graduate of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work. She has organized many protests for social justice, including the recent one that, according