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Last week, a federal jury convicted eight protesters on terrorism charges in a monumental trial that could have far-reaching implications on the U.S. government’s
ability to crack down on activism.
The defendants were connected to a July 4th protest at the Prairieland ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas, where fireworks were shot off and a police officer was shot
and wounded.
The case marked the first time that the federal government used material support for terrorism charges against activists that they claimed to be members of “Antifa.”
“It probably will embolden them to perhaps offer additional characterization of entities or groups … animated by some sort of anti-administration agenda as some
species of Antifa,” said Tom Brzozowski, former counsel for domestic terrorism at the Department of Justice,
told the
Texas Observer.
Xavier de Janon, an attorney with the People’s Law Collective who has provided legal assistance to the DFW Support Committee and one of the defendant’s attorneys,
explained that Antifa component in an interview with Democracy Now:
So, what we heard from the federal government since July 4th, 2025, is descriptions that are similar to what we’re hearing in Minneapolis, in Chicago, in Los
Angeles, in Portland and now in Vermont, that people who are standing up for immigrants are terrorists, are antifa, are masked villains, are wearing black to be disguised and never been found. During the trial, we heard repeatedly the reference to something
they call the “North Texas Antifa Cell.” The Department of Justice still says this is a thing. But then we heard from cooperating defendants explaining that no such thing exists, that they didn’t even know that they were a part of antifa to begin with, as
the government alleges.
“Antifa is a domestic terrorist organization that has been allowed to flourish in Democrat-led cities — not under President Trump,” said Attorney General Pamela
Bondi after the decision was announced. “Today’s verdict on terrorism charges will not be the last as the Trump administration systematically dismantles Antifa and finally halts their violence on America’s streets.”
The material support charges brought against the activists are a particularly concerning aspect of the verdict.
Maricela Rueda, and her husband Daniel Sanchez Estrada, were convicted of conspiracy to conceal documents, but the entire charge was based around the movement of
a box containing radical zines.
Freedom of the Press Foundation Director of Advocacy Seth Stern wrote about this “guilt by literature” component in
The Intercept after the charges were filed last fall.
“At what point does a literary collection or newspaper subscription become prosecutorial evidence under the Trump administration’s logic?,”
wrote Stern.
“Essentially, whenever it’s convenient. The vagueness is a feature, not a bug. When people don’t know which political materials might later be deemed evidence of criminality, the safest course is to avoid engaging with controversial ideas altogether.”
“The slippery slope from anarchist zines to conventional journalism isn’t hypothetical, and we’re already sliding fast,” he added. “Journalist
Mario
Guevara can tell you that from El Salvador, where he was deported in a clear case of retaliation for livestreaming a No Kings protest. So can Tufts
doctoral student Rümeysa
Öztürk, as she awaits deportation proceedings for
co-writing
an opinion piece critical of Israel’s wars that the administration considers evidence of support for terrorism.”
The DFW Support Committee, a coalition supporting the protesters posted a
statement on
the decision:
Everything about this trial from beginning to end has proven what we have said all along: this is a sham trial, built on political persecution and ideological
attacks coming from the top.
The state never had a case. The state only has its intimidation, torture, and suppression. The federal government came out in force: using repression, terrorism
charges, home raids, multi-million dollar bails, and torturous jail conditions.
What they wanted to do was to isolate the defendants, to control the public narrative. But people came together, spoke out, fought back, and set the tone for
what’s to come.
There will be post-trial motions and appeals are expected. There are also state charges pending.
“We have a long journey ahead of us to continue fighting these charges along with the state level charges,” notes the DFW Support Committee. “What happens here
sets the tone for what’s to come. We are here and we won’t give up.”
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