The protest to free Dmitry Sklyarov was outstanding. The turnout was huge. I got there late. TOTAL COVERAGE means lots of pictures. We have 'em. Best of all, Adobe backed down!

I got stuck in a meeting. Left late. Couldn't find Adobe. Drove around downtown San Jose a bit. Saw the big building in the distance with an Adobe logo on top. Headed that way. Finally got to the protest around noon.

But I got there.

75-100 people milling around, carrying signs, shouting slogans, handing out leaflets. Truckers honked, thinking they were supporting organized labor.

People rolled down their car windows, heard our story, and accepted pamphlets.

Adobe workers peered from behind the safety glass of their steel enclosure, a few looking around carefully before giving a furtive thumbs up, wary of watchful eyes.

Russian and American flags, flying together to protest the injustice.

I took a ton of pictures which are all available at http://www.pigdog.org/images/free_sklyarov/. Feel free to use 'em, just give credit where credit is due.

At the gates, but not through them, the crowd is confrontational, but non-violent.

The crowd gets loud.

Sometimes staying home is not an option.

Had to leave and head back to HQ an hour later, before I was missed, and I really thought the rally was breaking up... only to drive back by Adobe on the way out of town to find that the protestors had returned in force.

Even the mighty may fall.

Late Monday afternoon Adobe officials saw the light and declared that Dmitry Sklyarov should be freed from prison.

"We strongly support (federal copyright law) and the enforcement of copyright protection of digital content," Colleen Pouliot, general counsel for Adobe, said in a statement. "However, the prosecution of this individual in this particular case is not conducive to the best interests of any of the parties involved or the industry."

Unfortunately, since this is a criminal case, not a civil case, even though Adobe does no longer wants Dmitry to be prosecuted, the Justice Department may put Dmitry on trial anyway.

If the Justice Department can't understand what Justice means, the next series of protests will be outside the Federal Buildings in cities across the country.

Today Adobe was forced to back down. Tomorrow it will be the Justice Department's turn.

Writing software is not a crime. Free Dmitry Sklyarov.

paco@pigdog.org