The conviction in Texas of nine activists on terrorism and other charges earlier this month sets an alarming precedent: the Trump administration can crack down on leftwing groups and label their members “domestic terrorists”.
The case was widely seen as a major test of the Trump administration’s efforts to punish protesters and leftwing views. The charges came after a protest outside of an ICE facility near Fort Worth last year. Activists planned to set off fireworks outside of the facility in solidarity with those detained inside, traveling with a cache of automatic weapons and body armor they said was for self-defense against counter-protesters. Once they got there, a small group broke away and began vandalizing cars in the parking lot, spray-painting graffiti, slashing tires on a government van and breaking a security camera. When a police officer arrived on the scene and drew his weapon at those in the parking lot, one of the activists opened fire with an AR-15 and hit the police officer in the shoulder. He ultimately survived.
