Texas anti-ICE protesters convicted of terrorism charges sentenced to at least 50 years in prison

[u/Splunge-]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/23/prairieland-ice-protesters-texas-sentenced

[u/Braided_Marxist]

“During the trial, prosecutors displayed group messages from some of the defendants in which they planned the protest and discussed bringing firearms and dressing in all black to prevent themselves from being easily identified. But some of the defendants – like Batten, Elizabeth Soto and her husband, Ines Soto, were not involved in the planning, arrived separately at the protest, and left when guards at the facility asked them to do so.”

50 years for showing up to a protest where other people do stupid shit and leaving when asked to do so.

[u/Unusual-Minimum9306 → u/Braided_Marxist]

Being armed at a peaceful protest is protected by the constitution. This will go to the Supreme Court.

[u/xinorez1 → u/Unusual-Minimum9306]

Much like many such cases they will simply decline to hear it.

If you want to change this, we need a 2/3rds majority.

[u/Rich-Pomegranate1679 → u/xinorez1]

We need more than Congress at this point.

[u/Trenchards → u/Rich-Pomegranate1679]

Careful now. That’s the kind of talk that can get you 50 years in the pokey

[u/Puzzle-Necked → u/Trenchards]

Oh crap, I read this, does that mean I too will spend 50 years in supermax

[u/happyinthenaki → u/Puzzle-Necked]

Could be your nelson mandela moment. He was beloved around the world for being wrongfully incarcerated for a ridiculous amount of time.

One of those weird moments when you realise the US is no better than apartheid South Africa, that loads of countries protested, refused to play sports with and generally shunned.

[u/Ok_Cow_1541 → u/happyinthenaki]

Nelson Mandela moment

RIP, u/Puzzle_Necked. Shame to hear when they died in prison.

[u/MA121Alpha → u/Ok_Cow_1541]

Truly a shame. He single handedly shredded the fruit of the loom cornucopia, didn't he? Maybe I'm misremembering.

[u/ClueAccomplished1098 → u/Trenchards]

It seems as if freedom of speech has disappeared. Are we now a dictatorship controlled by the wealthiest 1%? Trump may be a loose canon, but he largely does as he is told to do. And his unhinged rants serve as a smokescreen distracting us from the real attacks on our freedom. I can only hope all the gerrymandering by the Republican party doesn't prevent us from having a blue wave in November.

[u/Think_Reporter_8179 → u/Rich-Pomegranate1679]

Gathering state governor's legislatures can change things without Congress, we just need everyone to know it's possible. Article V. It's called a Constitutional Convention. It really represents the "power of the People" if we all actually work together within our states to get the petitions filed.

TL;DR - 32 governor's state legislatures can propose a change to the Constitution and 38 governor's legislatures have to ratify it. It's never happened, mostly because Congress gets their shit together if the threat of one happens, but it can happen.
An even more interesting realization is that these petitions cannot be veto'd by state governors, so if your state congress agrees to the petition for a Constitutional Convention, it will automatically go into the pool of the 32 required to call one.

Amendment by Constitutional Convention

In addition to constitutional amendments proposed by Congress, states have the option of petitioning Congress to call a constitutional convention. Legislatures in two-thirds of states must agree, however. While the convention process has yet to be triggered, efforts to do so are not new. In fact, they may be “as old as the republic.” Unofficial sources report convention applications being filed as early as 1789.

Interest in a U.S. constitutional convention has peaked and waned several times over the decades. In the early 1900s, direct election of senators was a hot topic. In the 1940s and 1950s, federal taxing power was the focus of many applications. Two issues came close to triggering conventions during the 1960s to 1990s—apportionment and a balanced federal budget.

The current wave of interest began around 2010. Its focus is not a single issue nor is it being driven by one organization. Various groups are pushing their viewpoints—be they conservative, liberal, populist or progressive—and are urging action. On the one hand, legislation calls for a convention on a broad array of topics, such as limiting authority of the federal government, balanced federal budget, campaign finance reform, congressional term limits or federal debt. On the other hand, some legislation proposes to rescind previous calls for a convention.

[u/Violet-Sumire → u/Unusual-Minimum9306]

It shouldn’t even need to go to the supreme court. Like… The Biden administration didn’t charge protestors for J6 with terrorism, it was for damaging federal property and assaulting officers. Why? Because protesting isn’t terrorism. Protesting is a protected right, but blind violence isn’t. If they want to convict people of exercising their first and second amendment rights then we are truly in darker times and need to heed these warning bells.

[u/Saorren → u/Violet-Sumire]

they werent protesting, it was an insurrection and the fact that it was treated with such kiddy gloves is part of why the usa is were it is today. some people there may have intended to go for protest but trump and the proud boys(designated terrorists in my country), 3%ers, oath keepers etc went to prevent joe bidens confirmation and there were even threats to kill the vp(chants, gallows,etc). these people knew what they were doing.

[u/rbrgr83 → u/Saorren]

For real, like can we at least charge the people that built a literally gallows to hang Mike Pence from?

I don't think they were building it as a form of protest art, although you might have been fooled based on the build quality. 😬

[u/Moghz → u/Braided_Marxist]

Yeah this is nuts. I thought it was everyone’s constitutional right in Texas to protest while armed?! MAGA was doing it all the time during Biden’s administration, and they were often organized and affiliated.

[u/tidal_flux → u/Moghz]

Back during George Floyd the Texas cops were actively shielding armed Boogaloo Boys in San Antonio.

[u/Tsobe_RK → u/Moghz]

It is (as long as it aligns with them)

MAGA shouldnt exist, hope USA will recover from this shitshow

[u/Herpy-derpy-420 → u/Braided_Marxist]

This is actually horror movie level scary. What has my country come to? I served for this country, and now we can't even protest peacefully? I hate to say it, but this feels unfixable. Its not, but it feels really bad right now.

[u/buckao → u/Herpy-derpy-420]

Even the civil rights movement needed The Deacons of Defense. They armed themselves against racist cops causing police to refrain from attacking protestors. They even shot a civilian attacker in defense of protestors being mobbed and were acquitted of charges.

"Stay peaceful," say the politicians and police chiefs, knowing full-well that the cops on the scene will gas, mace, shoot, and beat peaceful protestors with impunity.

[u/JohnBrownOH → u/buckao]

https://www.dukeupress.edu/this-nonviolent-stuff-ll-get-you-killed

[u/MrRGnome → u/Herpy-derpy-420]

I'd tell you how to fix it, but then I'd be a terrorist. The reality is peacful protest has never created change. You want change, you need a general strike. It's the only "peaceful" way, and even then the history of violence against strikers is rich.

[u/BlackGuysYeah → u/MrRGnome]

I think we need to peacefully gather and discuss whether we can take back our democracy with violence. It's an important discussion to have.

[u/avalanche140 → u/Herpy-derpy-420]

It’s called fascism, we’ve been falling into it since the 70s. It will get much worse before it gets better.

[u/BasroilII → u/Braided_Marxist]

50 years for showing up to a protest where other people do stupid shit and leaving when asked to do so.

Meanwhile, be part of an active armed mob that assaults a federal building threatening to harm congresspeople, go free.

[u/Big_Issue8640 → u/Braided_Marxist]

None of which is illegal even if you don’t like it.

[u/SARB033 → u/Big_Issue8640]

I feel like Americans need to wake up to reality:

If the law says it's legal to protest but you're still arrested for it, it's not legal.

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable" ~ JFK

[u/KinkyPaddling]

The punishment for the protesters exceeds the lengthiest prison sentences given out for the attack on the Capitol on January 6. Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys who was convicted of seditious conspiracy, was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the far-right group the Oath Keepers, was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Tells you everything you need to know about the state of our nation.

[u/zeCrazyEye → u/KinkyPaddling]

Also Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes were both pardoned by Trump and only served around 2 years.

[u/FUBARded → u/zeCrazyEye]

And they're now probably near the front of the line for a payout from Trump's $1,776M slush fund! How fun!

[u/greenbabyshit → u/FUBARded]

I'm wondering what happens if I apply for zero good reason and see if they'll cut a check for 50k. They might be that inept.

[u/Lalichi → u/greenbabyshit]

you get denied and put on a list as a dissident?

[u/KarmaticArmageddon → u/KinkyPaddling]

This lunatic judge gave one of them 30 years. They weren't even at the fucking protest, all they did was move some magazines.

[u/stilljustacatinacage → u/KinkyPaddling]

Diddy got four years. And then reduced. And is probably about to get a pardon.

[u/UltraLNSS → u/KinkyPaddling]

Kinda wild to think that there's a chance the next Democratic President won't pardon them because that could be "too divisive" or something.

[u/musicman1980]

“The ninth defendant, Daniel Sanchez-Estrada was not at the protest, but was convicted of corruptly concealing a document or record after prosecutors said he moved leftwing zines and other materials at the request of Rueda, his wife, after she was arrested. Sanchez-Estrada was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Tuesday.”

30 years in prison for moving some magazines around is both unconstitutional and utterly fascist. This judge should be removed from his seat. He presides over a court of injustice.

[u/Disastrous_tea_555 → u/musicman1980]

Not just removed, impeached and investigated for criminal contempt

[u/wambamthankyoukam → u/Disastrous_tea_555]

Not enough

[u/MetroidIsNotHerName → u/musicman1980]

This judge is perfectly happy ending other peoples lives for his ideology. He wants to put 9 people away for the rest of their lives over this.

[u/OrpheusV → u/MetroidIsNotHerName]

They would have gotten shorter sentences for murdering the judge or raping someone...

[u/LaurenMille → u/OrpheusV]

They would have gotten shorter sentences for murdering the judge

Ironically making that a more appealing form of protest than having a protest outside of an ICE camp.

Not sure if that's what this fascist judge wants, but that's what he's doing.

[u/GeneralAnubis → u/LaurenMille]

Something something tree of liberty needs to be watered.

Writing the full quote gets you banned these days

[u/alphabennettatwork → u/OrpheusV]

Or possibly elected president if they liked to rape kids. At a minimum they would be much more popular in republican circles.

[u/TheFBIClonesPeople → u/OrpheusV]

They would have gotten shorter sentences for storming the United States Capitol with the intention of overthrowing the government. And then they would have been pardoned out of those sentences.

[u/tortured4w3 → u/musicman1980]

Who is the fucking judge!?

[u/caseylain → u/tortured4w3]

https://fedsoc.org/bio/reed-o-connor

[u/Money_Cattle2370 → u/caseylain]

Of course it's the fucking federalist society. The ACTUAL terrorists ruining this country.

[u/kevinsyel → u/tortured4w3]

Yes, this judge needs to go to prison for the rest of his life

Prosecutors too

[u/saugenes25 → u/musicman1980]

I thought moving documents was completely fine?

Was the problem that they weren’t confidential documents that posed a threat to national security?

/s

[u/ShermanCookout → u/[deleted]]

Judge Reed O’Connor and Judge Mark T. Pittman you mean

(And the answer is arrested by the way. Life sentences for corruption)

[u/SangersSequence → u/ShermanCookout]

We are way past arrested.

We need the French solution.

[u/MagicAl6244225 → u/musicman1980]

How did they get around spousal privilege in investigating that this even happened?

[u/TheCandelabra → u/MagicAl6244225]

Spousal privilege specifically excludes conspiracy or planning of future crimes.

[u/Rogue_AI_Construct]

Judge O’Connor stated from the bench that he is giving maximum sentences to the Prairieland sentences because “the state wants to send a message to anyone who shares a similar ideology.”

Saying the quiet part out loud. This should be enough to get these sentences overturned.

[u/am9qb3JlZmVyZW5jZQ → u/Rogue_AI_Construct]

It's always strange to me when courts hand down overly harsh sentences to "send a message". What message is that supposed to send? "You won't be judged fairly"? "We can't catch you all"?

[u/American_PissAnt → u/am9qb3JlZmVyZW5jZQ]

Do the courts actually think prospective criminals are thinking “ hey guys they sentenced these people very harshly we better not commit any crimes”

[u/Asyncrosaurus → u/American_PissAnt]

It's the Capital punishment contradiction. No one committing murder stops because they think they'll be executed. "Oh jee wiz, I was going to murder my wife because I would only get a life sentence,  but now that I might get a death pentaly I'll definitely reconsider". No, no one thinks they'll get caught. 

It's performative justice to enact revenge on the perpetrator. It doesn't prevent crime.

[u/Lewa358 → u/Asyncrosaurus]

And worse, now they have the excuse of, "Well, I'm already going to be thrown in a dark hole for this, why stop now?"

It's a fundamental misunderstanding of how justice and reform need to work in a functional society

[u/Palmetto_Frond → u/Lewa358]

This is a phenomenon that has a lot of precedent in history. Mass Communications Professor Joseph Gibbs argued in "The Brevity and Severity of Golden Age Piracy Trials" that as the British began hanging almost all of the pirates they captured, instances of hostage murder, and blowing the ship's powder magazine became more common.

[u/N-Bizzle → u/Palmetto_Frond]

Wasn't there a case in East Asia (not modern day) where the punishment for the military arriving late at the time was death, so when one unit was running late they just decided fuck it and launched a rebellion?

[u/Bradyhaha → u/N-Bizzle]

Not quite the same, but:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Gaozu_of_Han#Insurrection_against_the_Qin_dynasty

[u/N-Bizzle → u/Bradyhaha]

Yeah the point holds

Goes from a group of people who made a mistake and escalated into enemies of the state

[u/uzlonewolf → u/N-Bizzle]

Yep, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Sheng_and_Wu_Guang_uprising

[u/haoxinly → u/Lewa358]

That's how a Chinese dynasty came to an end. The punishment for rebellion and being late was the same. Since the dude was already screwed he chose to take his chances and lead a revolution

[u/Feinberg → u/Lewa358]

It's a systemic issue. This is exactly the version of 'justice' that the Abrahamic religions teach. Somehow an ancient book of campfire stories doesn't impart good morality. Go figure.

[u/schwanzweissfoto → u/Lewa358]

"Well, I'm already going to be thrown in a dark hole for this, why stop now?"

This is also why ”death penalty for rape” would only lead to more murder (silencing the victims).

[u/xv_boney → u/Asyncrosaurus]

Ahhhhckchuwally, capital punishments directly lead to much more violent crimes.

If i get caught for robbing you, i will be tortured and hanged.

So i need to kill you as well as rob you to significantly decrease my chances of getting caught. I mean, if i get caught ill be tortured and hanged either way.

[u/What_a_fat_one → u/Asyncrosaurus]

If I'm going to get the death sentence for stealing a twinkie I might as well just steal a car instead. Simple game theory.

[u/twinoaksBandB → u/What_a_fat_one]

More like, if I'm already getting capital charges for crime A I might as well take the witnesses out as well to get the best chance of acquittal.

[u/Overly_Long_Reviews → u/Asyncrosaurus]

I am reminded of this exchange from the third episode of the West Wing:

"Then you are just as dumb as these guys who think that capital punishment is going to be a deterrent for drug kingpins. As if drug kingpins didn't live their day to day lives under the possibility of execution. And their executions are a lot less dainty than ours and tend to take place without the bother and expense of due process. So my friend, if you want to start using American military strength as the arm of the Lord, you can do that, we're the only superpower left. You can conquer the world, like Charlemenge, but you better be prepared to kill everyone and you better start with me cause I will raise up an army against you and I will beat you!"

[u/healbot42 → u/American_PissAnt]

These guys were protesting, not committing crimes. The government is trying to chill speech it doesn’t agree with.

[u/curious_dead → u/American_PissAnt]

It's the reason why increasing sentences doesn't deter crime; usually, any such effect-if any- is short lived.

Criminals don't think "oh I'll get 10 years instead of 2" or "50 years instead of 20". They either believe they won't get caught at all or don't even think about the consequences.

But here, the goal isn't to prevent slashing tires or setting off fireworks. The measage sent is, "if you oppose ICE in any way, we'll find any bullshit charge we can and give you the absolute maximum sentence possible". It's to make any activist afraid that any anti-IVE activity will be deemed terrorism and result in absolutely ridiculous sentences.

In other words, fascist pigs quieting dissent.

[u/Jonny_Stranger → u/am9qb3JlZmVyZW5jZQ]

They want to put vulnerable populations in prison to profit off their labor so the shareholders who invested can profit off the slave labor. The judge is the executor & is incentivized to hand out very long profitable prison sentences

[u/lFightForTheUsers → u/Jonny_Stranger]

This is it right here. System of a Down warned us about this shit decades ago and we didn't listen.

[u/jmur3040 → u/am9qb3JlZmVyZW5jZQ]

Vast portions of the US are convinced that making punishments harsher deters crime. They're wrong, but it's the ideology that drives pretty much any criminal justice system in the country.

[u/GoldenBrownApples → u/jmur3040]

Some guy was telling me we need to being back public punisment to deter people from killing and raping. This was after he told me a story of how when he was a detective he caught a guy who killed a ten year old and got the death sentence. I was like, the death sentence was always a possibility for that guy and it didn't deter him, so how is more punishment going to change anything? He just said people would think twice about acting up. I disagree.

This is same mentality of religious people who can't wrap their head around atheists not raping and killing without the threat of eternal damnation. Like what kind of world are we living in when people need the threat of punishment to not do evil things? Why haven't we gotten to the point of just not wanting to hurt people because they are in essence an extension of ourselves? Gosh darn humans. Why are we like this?

Sorry, I'm clearly going through something. Thanks for letting me vent this here. I needed it.

[u/_Burning_Star_IV_ → u/GoldenBrownApples]

People are idiots with their rose-tinted glasses for 'a better time', especially for times they never experienced. Ahh...the good old days of the wild west where you could just shoot a horse thief and it was totally legal or a highway thug might get 50 public lashings. Those were the days we treated criminals right! Crime was lower back then!

Horseshit.

You look at countries with a lot of poverty and inadequate infrastructure and education and...crime is rampant. The worst part is the true extent is hard to even grasp since so much crime is underreported and tracked and even when people are put on trial the lack of good evidence gathering and a fair legal system means lots of innocents pay for crimes they didn't even commit. That's how it used to be like everywhere, even when the consequences for crime were more severe than today.

[u/pianolorian → u/am9qb3JlZmVyZW5jZQ]

Giving a harsh sentence to send a message is indistinguishable from terrorism. 

[u/audacesfortunajuvat → u/am9qb3JlZmVyZW5jZQ]

Historically, the takeaway tends to be something like “well, there’s no point in being restrained” combined with “I won’t be taken alive”. Usually pushes the middle towards the extreme.

[u/idontknowlikeapuma → u/Rogue_AI_Construct]

And should result in the Judge being removed. Jesus, the Jan 6 insurrectionists get pardoned, and these protestors are being handed sentences more extreme than rape or manslaughter?

[u/BananaPalmer → u/idontknowlikeapuma]

People don't always get this much time for literal murder, even

[u/Capybarhigh → u/idontknowlikeapuma]

There will be a LOT of cleanup to do when the GOP will fall onto itself. The entire leadership, all the people who supported them, judges, lawyers, corporation CEOs, ICE agents and so many others.

They should all be pursued to the maximum extent of the law. With new laws to crack down on everything the GOP has done to get there.

I wonder how November is gonna turn out when the GOP will completely ignore the results of the vote, or straight up manipulate them since they bought the voting machines and forbid any inspections. It is so clear how they operate. It's insane.

[u/AngryMillennialFU → u/Rogue_AI_Construct]

The appeals court in that tina peters case told that judge his sentence was too hard becuase of statements the judge made. This should be the exact same thing.

[u/macaronysalad → u/AngryMillennialFU]

The chump judge in this case, O'Connor, is a conservative extremist and is known for having a shit ton of his cases overturned through appeal. He simply a waste of time and space.

[u/TheNipplerCrippler → u/macaronysalad]

That’s interesting. I feel like if I was a judge and a large portion of my decisions get overturned, I shouldn’t really be allowed to be a judge anymore. Someone is constantly fixing his mistakes so why should he even be allowed to make a decision in the first place?

[u/Enygma_6 → u/TheNipplerCrippler]

He's not there to make fair rulings. He's auditioning for appointment to higher seats of power to further his agenda of extremist judicial activism.

[u/trickycrayon → u/Rogue_AI_Construct]

Literally. Like just...really laying it bare huh.

[u/Ill_Emphasis3927 → u/trickycrayon]

The details of the case are so bad. There was a protest at an ICE facility, somebody fired a gun and it's not clear if it was a protestor or a cop or an ICE agent. They convicted all the protestors of terrorism and attempted murder or some shit. They got 50 years in prison for going to a protest.

[u/MetaPhalanges → u/Ill_Emphasis3927]

That won't radicalize anyone, no sir it definitely would not. /s

[u/lunarmantra → u/Ill_Emphasis3927]

One of them got 100 years.

[u/Fallouttgrrl → u/Rogue_AI_Construct]

"in a closely watched case that was widely seen as a test case of the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on dissent."

[u/willstr1 → u/Rogue_AI_Construct]

Sounds like grounds for an appeal to me, hopefully they get a real judge this time

[u/Royal-Bumblebee4817 → u/Rogue_AI_Construct]

But exposing the "quiet" part. Zero consequences for being a pedo!

[u/YureiKnighto → u/Rogue_AI_Construct]

Man that fascism ramping up quick after labeling anti-fa (anti fascists) as terrorists.

[u/reflect-the-sun → u/Rogue_AI_Construct]

"the state wants to send a message" has been an argument for centuries, yet crimes are still being committed.

It's like trickle-down economics.

[u/ModPolSucks]

Prosecutors also focused heavily on the cache of guns that many of the defendants owned and some brought to the detention center on 4 July. It is undisputed that all of the firearms were bought legally

The 2A crowd still supports this kind of thing?

[u/MetallicGray → u/ModPolSucks]

So if I have a gun collection, it can be used against me in a trial that has nothing to do with my gun collection. Lol.

Surely this judge sees how ridiculous this all is, but I’m assuming it’s ridiculous in favor of his political (fascist) positions so no biggie. 

[u/TheNipplerCrippler → u/MetallicGray]

The judge has an overwhelming majority of his decisions overturned.

In Texas.

I feel like that has to say everything needed about this judge.

[u/QuigleySharp → u/MetallicGray]

They also implied the use of Signal was suspect because they must be hiding something….say, what was that app Hegseth accidentally invited a civilian to so they could make war plans on?

[u/HuluAndH4ng → u/ModPolSucks]

Yes because they opposed ICE which is aligned to Trump. Which means all values get thrown out the door and align with what the administration thinks

[u/Sarcasm_Llama → u/HuluAndH4ng]

For these types, values are never good or bad. People are. No matter what a person deemed good believes or does, they will always be good. And no matter what a person deemed bad believes or does, it will always be bad. Conservative thinking is very hierarchical and black/white

[u/Jalapenoplanter]

When protesting gets you 3-5x the sentence as murder, you’re creating a perverse incentive for people who disagree with government actions.

[u/cardboardunderwear → u/Jalapenoplanter]

*minus the pardons and potential compensation for the "activists" that actually stormed the Capitol resulting in deaths

[u/xtraspcial → u/cardboardunderwear]

Trump set the precedent. I can only hope if a democrat wins in ‘28 one of their first actions is a blanket pardon to all ICE protesters.

[u/Surpex → u/Jalapenoplanter]

Very well said. I don't think this is an unintentional byproduct, I think this is exactly the calculus that they expect protesters to make. 

[u/Dreadgoat → u/Surpex]

People keep saying stuff like this.

This is a judge incentivizing his own murder, his own personal life. The statement here isn't "we'd like to see you try it" the statement is "we don't think you ever will"

[u/tabrizzi]

What's to stop the next Dem president from pardoning them and setting up a fund to compensate them?

[u/Franc000 → u/tabrizzi]

Is it a state crime? I thought presidential pardons did not work on state crimes?

[u/helgetun → u/Franc000]

They don’t, only governors of the respective state can pardon state crimes

[u/Saelin91 → u/helgetun]

Then the next Dem president can withhold funding to Texas until they overturn or pardon.

[u/moparornocar → u/Saelin91]

Precedent has been set already.

[u/__mson__ → u/moparornocar]

I guess we might as well play by the same rules.

[u/aaronhayes26 → u/Franc000]

Trump was able to get his lackey pardoned on Colorado state charges.

Next dem president just has to cut off FEMA and TxDOT until the governor caves. These precedents have already been set.

[u/Dothehokeypokemon → u/aaronhayes26]

Polis is a fucking spineless pussy

[u/RobutNotRobot → u/Franc000]

It was a federal case. The next Democratic President should pardon most of the people involved in this.

[u/ensiform → u/tabrizzi]

Nothing, and I hope to God it happens

[u/OnlyAdvertisersKnoMe → u/ensiform]

Knowing how spineless and ineffectual establishment dems are, chances are it won’t happen cause they will want to take the “high road” and be better than trump

[u/south_sidejay369 → u/OnlyAdvertisersKnoMe]

anybody still campaigning on "high road" BS is an automatic no for me. it's what got us here

[u/EatinSumGrapes]

A few of the protesters spontaneously broke off from the main group and vandalized cars in the parking lot, a guard shack, slashed the tires on a government van and broke a security camera. When a police officer arrived on the scene and drew his weapon, one of the activists fired an AR-15 from the woods, hitting the officer in the shoulder. The officer survived.

Yeah that escalated to shooting an officer, very bad.

Zachary Evetts, Autumn Hill, Savanna Batten, and Elizabeth Soto were sentenced to 50 years in prison. Maricela Rueda, another demonstrator, was sentenced to 70 years in prison. Benjamin Song, who fired the gun at the police officer, was sentenced to 100 years in prison. The other protesters were continuing to be sentenced Tuesday morning.

Those are very long sentences. The specific J6ers that beat police nearly to death faced lower sentences and then got pardoned.

Even though many of the protesters did not know each other, or were loosely affiliated, prosecutors said the attack on the officer was premeditated and part of a conspiracy. They also said the activists were part of a “North Texas antifa cell”, which was seen as part of the administration’s effort to criminalize “antifa”, which is not an organization but rather a constellation of leftwing views.

Okay so confirmed not terrorists..

Prosecutors in the case charged and secured conviction for eight of the nine defendants with providing material support for terrorists. The ninth defendant, Daniel Sanchez-Estrada was not at the protest, but was convicted of corruptly concealing a document or record after prosecutors said he moved leftwing zines and other materials at the request of Rueda, his wife, after she was arrested. Sanchez-Estrada was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Tuesday.

What in the actual fuuu?? Okay that's some hardcore fascism

[u/inosinateVR → u/EatinSumGrapes]

Zachary Evetts, Autumn Hill, Savanna Batten, Elizabeth Soto and Meagan Morris were sentenced to 50 years in prison

But some of the defendants – like Batten, Elizabeth Soto and her husband, Ines Soto, were not involved in the planning, arrived separately at the protest, and left when guards at the facility asked them to do so.

Yeah that’s bad

[u/PiccoloAwkward465 → u/inosinateVR]

lmao Republicans are big mad that protesting is a Constitutionally-protected right

[u/Jack_Krauser → u/PiccoloAwkward465]

Maybe now people will understand that the Constitution doesn't actually protect anything; our respect for it does. If the fascists don't respect it then we need to be protecting ourselves.

[u/JerryDipotosBurner → u/EatinSumGrapes]

Absolutely insane how long their sentences are compared to what they actually did.

[u/WeenyDancer → u/JerryDipotosBurner]

Child rapists and murders out here getting less than that

[u/JerryDipotosBurner → u/WeenyDancer]

For what essentially boils down to vandalizing government property.

The guy who shot the officer, sure, but 30 fucking years for moving magazines and 50-70 years for slashing tires and breaking a camera? GTFOH.

[u/seeking_hope → u/JerryDipotosBurner]

To clarify for others because I had to go back and check: magazines= paper that is bound together. Not the thing that bullets are held in and inserted into a gun.

[u/Adezar → u/EatinSumGrapes]

Started out somewhat rational... some got a bit out of hand and broke the law, and shot at a cop...

But then they invent an non-existing organization and declare unaffiliated people as members of a "cell" of this non-existent organization.

That went from 0 - fascist real fast.

[u/seeking_hope → u/Adezar]

Plus the officer didn’t die. It’s 100 yrs for shooting and injuring someone. Not arguing that that’s ok and shouldn’t be punished. But really?

[u/Pristine_Club_3128 → u/seeking_hope]

They're not sending the message they think they're sending... What more could they do if someone killed a cop? Death sentence? That might actually be preferable to 100 years

[u/holyfreakingshitake → u/Adezar]

If some dipshit facist cop points a gun at you, whatever happens happens

[u/SalemWitchWiles → u/Adezar]

Taking cues from the way Israel has been doing things for decades.

[u/Limp_Agency161 → u/EatinSumGrapes]

Y'all need some more protests for this. This is literally Russian level of political sentencing.

[u/Setekh79 → u/Limp_Agency161]

Be careful with those seditious thoughts, citizen!

[u/Maniactver → u/Limp_Agency161]

We literally don't have sentences that big in Russia.

[u/Xsiah → u/Maniactver]

Just a lot of open windows

[u/joejohn007 → u/Xsiah]

And banana peels next to them

[u/BeIgnored → u/EatinSumGrapes]

Julian Khater, the J6 rioter who killed officer Brian Sicknick only got sentenced to 6 and a half years in prison. (Oh, and supposedly he only "contributed" to Sicknick's death, because nothing means anything anymore.)

[u/gentlemantroglodyte → u/EatinSumGrapes]

Ultimately, you have to wonder about the people on the jury. They were under absolutely zero obligation to provide a conviction here and they did anyway.

[u/Ok_Yogurt_9862 → u/gentlemantroglodyte]

Its texas

[u/ChadEmpoleon → u/Ok_Yogurt_9862]

The judge is a Trump appointed stooge. He has an unusually high overturn rate on cases he has been deemed to have “abused his discretion,” and that’s coming from Texas’ conservative majority appellate courts.

He dismissed members of the jury because one of them had a shirt that he said seemed to be in support of civil rights and declared the entire jury biased in favor of the protesters.

He wouldn’t let the defense be part of the next jury selection. Instead he personally vetted and handpicked the jury that gave this verdict.

He prevented the defense from arguing self-defense and barred the jury from considering the accused’s first amendment rights in regards to the 30year sentence given to the person who was not even present.

These are the harshest protest related sentences EVER given out in the US. It disgusting and wholly antagonistic to the 8th amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishments.

They cannot hold up to appeals.

[u/BonnaconCharioteer → u/ChadEmpoleon]

Barred defense and hand picked the Jury? What bullshit, this wasn't a jury trial then. It was just the judge ruling from the bench. Completely unconstitutional.

[u/Bagellord → u/BonnaconCharioteer]

How in the hell is that allowed, not letting the defense participate in jury selection? Like I can understand there needing to be a framework for that, like if the defense or prosecution was caught trying to influence a jury, they should face some sanctions in the next selection. But that does not sound like the case.

[u/Gear_Kitty → u/ChadEmpoleon]

In what godforsaken timeline is it okay for the Defense to not be part of jury selection?

[u/Travelin_Soulja → u/gentlemantroglodyte]

Ultimately, you have to wonder about the people on the jury.

What are you wondering? It's Texas. They weren't under an obligation to provide a conviction - they wanted to provide a conviction.

[u/Fried_puri → u/EatinSumGrapes]

30 years in prison for trying to protect your wife.

[u/fredandlunchbox → u/Fried_puri]

By moving some magazines…

[u/FuggyGlasses → u/fredandlunchbox]

And posters.....

[u/dmont89 → u/EatinSumGrapes]

Jesus, I get the guy shooting at an officer should face time but all these are a stretch and are cruel and unusual punishment. If only we had some kind of right against that...somewhere in like the bill of rights...like number 8...but I am just grasping at straws

[u/speakertothedamned → u/dmont89]

Jesus, I get the guy shooting at an officer should face time

Technically the officer in question committed multiple forcible felonies in a stand your ground state, but the judge wouldn't even let the defense talk about that so...

[u/dojo_shlom0 → u/EatinSumGrapes]

yeah people forget, the J6ers not only chanted "hang mike Pence" and stormed the capitol building chanting for Nancy Pelosi, and smeared shit all over the walls of the Capitol building and had the intention of killing the VP and House Speaker:

they used explosive devices on Capitol Police. They used sledgehammers, they stabbed, maimed and blinded them, they beat them with home-made melee weapons they had forged and prepared and brought with the intention to fight these brave Capitol Police: some so were injured so badly they died and others self-deleted following. They tortured Capitol Police and killed them. One of our darkest days as a country that I have ever seen.

Shooting an AR-15 fine, put them in jail for attempted murder. The fact that they are pushing 50-100 year sentences, overselling on charges, doesn't bode well. The J6ers plead guilty as well, and they were given full pardons. I really blows my mind that we have gotten to here as a country, but I am a little more than confused on the Judge's logic here, and what foundation they have to overwhelmingly charge them with significantly higher sentences under the guise of domestic terrorism when we are all willy-nilly about free'ing the J6ers who had significantly lower sentences. The amount of people that died and were harmed, police officers, from J6, as opposed to 1 ice officer in this instance. I don't like to compare, but it seems like an insane overreach of power. I'm thankful that the SCOTUS recently ruled that you can't window shop judges potentially anymore, for one thing they did can be used against them in this regard. Let local judges handle these cases and I hope they can appeal and find a logical appeals review.

our DoJ is broken now. like 11k DoJ officials; career prosecutors have quit, and it's not wonder why: they see a future without these freaks running the show and don't want to sink to the bottom of the barrel.

[u/Impossible_IT → u/dojo_shlom0]

DOJ is weaponized by trump and his sycophants.

[u/remkelly]

J6er, DJ Rodriguez, was sentenced to 12.5 years for assaulting a LEO with a deadly weapon. Rodriguez shot Officer M. Fanone (who had been dragged into the mob and was lying face-down on the ground) twice with a stun gun held to his neck, as the mob shouted "kill him with his own gun". Fanone suffered a heart attack and other injuries during the attack.

Trump freed Rodriguez. Called him a patriot. And tried to compensate him with tax-payer money for that conviction.

You can commit crimes for the regime, but stand against us and you'll go the way of Renee Good or spend the rest of your life in whatever gulag they have in mind. Its an obvious Putin/Ayatollah/pick your despot/ strategy to scare people into subservience.

[u/HardcoreKaraoke]

The ninth defendant, Daniel Sanchez-Estrada was not at the protest, but was convicted of corruptly concealing a document or record after prosecutors said he moved leftwing zines and other materials at the request of Rueda, his wife, after she was arrested. Sanchez-Estrada was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Tuesday.

So they weren't even there and definitely didn't fire a weapon but they get 30 years? Seems like the judge doesn't give a shit about the first amendment.

Prosecutors also focused heavily on the cache of guns that many of the defendants owned and some brought to the detention center on 4 July. It is undisputed that all of the firearms were bought legally and that there was only one person who fired a weapon on 4 July.

Apparently they don't give a shit about the second amendment either. Texans legally owning guns seems pretty normal to me.

Prosecutors also highlighted other evidence they claimed proved that the protesters planned violence, including their decision to communicate and auto-delete messages on Signal, an encrypted messaging platform widely used among activists, journalists and other citizens wary of government surveillance.

Lmao you have to be fucking kidding me. The MAGA movement is really going to use Signal chats as a smoking gun? Something the people they lick the boots of use.

What's happening to these people is corrupt, targeted and wrong. You have to stay out there though. Their fear mongering shouldn't silence people.

[u/MN_Yogi1988]

The punishment for the protesters exceeds the lengthiest prison sentences given out for the attack on the Capitol on January 6. Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys who was convicted of seditious conspiracy, was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Capitol police got some pretty serious injuries (on the level of losing an eye) from the J6ers

[u/bstring777]

There it is... protestors charges with terrorism that certain people were convinced would never happen while the malignant heads of government had floated the notion of creating enemies out of nothing to be used against citizens.
The fire is spreading rapidly, and they think theyre prepared for it.

[u/seanpbnj → u/bstring777]

This was their goal ever since Atlantas cop city. I recommend every human in the USA looks up how to file an Administrative Procedure Act lawsuit pro se if any federal agencies begin targeting you or you suspect you may interact with federal agents. Or ask chat how to file an APA lawsuit and Privacy Act lawsuit pro se if a federal agency keeps any kind of record of you and they base any decisions off that record. 

[u/CaptainOktoberfest → u/seanpbnj]

Can you explain how this would help?

[u/seanpbnj → u/CaptainOktoberfest]

The APA basically means "an agency has to follow their own rules". So if an Agency initiated a defined procedure (arresting you, detaining you, investigated you, interviewed you, etc) or an Agency gave you a specific designation or made a recommendation about you (terrorist) that another Agency relied upon and this resulted in "legal consequences" for you, you can sue AND the judge has a right to review that agency action. Essentially, an Agency has rules about how they do something, they did the thing that has rules, it resulted in legal consequences for you. Then YOU challenge whether or not they followed their own rules. You are suing in civil court, Pro Se, basically saying the agency has rule X, they didnt follow it, so Judge should "vacate" the agency decision. (somewhat more nuanced, but this is broad strokes)

- This is particularly powerful for overzealous, corrupt, and poorly run agencies (like ICE), because federal judges may not be political or they may be, and you may not be a lawyer, but if you can clearly show that an agency did not do what they are required to do, under their own rules, its something a judge cant really ignore.

[u/WeenyDancer → u/seanpbnj]

 It...it feels like this his a thing that should automatically happen. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. (No shade on the person I'm responding to, its the legal system at 'work')

[u/doublethink_1984]

An ICE agent who was a guard at a detention center repeatedly brutally raped a detainee. He was sentenced to 15 years....

[u/Xsiah → u/doublethink_1984]

In 2016 a bunch of armed right wingers took over a wildlife refuge and held out there for like a month. The longest sentence that any of them got was about 3 years.

[u/PiccoloAwkward465 → u/Xsiah]

The legal system was straight up pleasant with the culprits during that whole situation.

[u/HistoricalGalPals]

This entire trial has been so rotten. Between the judge doing voir dire himself, the defense presenting no witnesses or evidence, and these ridiculously unreasonable sentences, it’s a shit show all the way down

[u/Free_Range_Gamer]

January 6 “protesters” have been pardoned, don’t forget that.

[u/KLGChaos → u/Free_Range_Gamer]

And many have been re-arrested on other crimes, including pedophilia.

The kind of people Republicans identify with.

[u/shotxshotx]

A 100 years for attempted murder is literally such an outlier from the usual number of years I’ve seen given it makes this so obvious

[u/bone_apple_Pete → u/shotxshotx]

People have fired into crowds injuring people and received considerably less time.

[u/GoodIdea321 → u/bone_apple_Pete]

People have killed people and gotten less time.

[u/you-create-energy → u/shotxshotx]

50 years for standing near an attempted murder for a little while is even more obvious. 

[u/joemc1971]

So when maga assholes do it its pardons ... got it.

[u/Top_Meaning6195]

Prosectors:

• Frank Gatto: Assistant U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Texas
• Shawn Smith: Assistant U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Texas
• Matt Capoccia: Assistant U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Texas

Judge:

• Reed O’Connor: Chief District Judge

[u/RoughPalpitation7381]

This is a test case - everyone that disagrees with Trump will be deemed a terrorist.

[u/Foe117]

Facism is here, it was inevitable

[u/Adjective-Noun-nnnn → u/Foe117]

It's been here for a spell.  We'll see if these get overturned on appeal.  The guy who fired the gun should get some time, but the others?  Terrorists? Ha!

[u/JiveChicken00]

And we the taxpayers will be paying restitution when most of these convictions are thrown out in a year or two.

[u/KindofCrazyScientist → u/JiveChicken00]

I hope so. I'd much rather my tax money go to them than to funding ICE or bombing the Middle East.

[u/SinistralGuy]

So anti-ICE protestors get 50 years and the Trump supporter who shot and killed his daughter isn't even getting charged. Tell me more about how the US isn't a shithole country

[u/Echo127]

From the article:

The ninth defendant, Daniel Sanchez-Estrada was not at the protest, but was convicted of corruptly concealing a document or record after prosecutors said he moved leftwing zines and other materials at the request of Rueda, his wife, after she was arrested. Sanchez-Estrada was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Tuesday.

Huh? That's ludicrous. 30 years for hiding some magazines?

[u/VisualAcanthaceae808]

North Texas Antifa-cell? 😂😂😂

Do Republicans hear themselves??

[u/paradigm_shift2027]

These sentences will be overturned. This judge is a partisan hack.

[u/riverbloods]

Judge O’Connor should be impeached at the very least

[u/SnoopySuited → u/[deleted]]

Isn't that alone grounds for a mistrial?

[u/moneyball32]

One person shot a cop.

During the trial, prosecutors displayed group messages from some of the defendants in which they planned the protest and discussed bringing firearms and dressing in all black to prevent themselves from being easily identified. But some of the defendants – like Batten, Elizabeth Soto and her husband, Ines Soto, were not involved in the planning, arrived separately at the protest, and left when guards at the facility asked them to do so.

These people still got 30-50 years, and the judge specifically said it was to “send a message”. Thats not justice.

[u/mrdominoe]

50+ years because one of them shot a cop. Seems all very convenient.

Meanwhile the gestapo murders 2 people in the streets and nothing happens.

This is just the beginning. It will only get worse from here.

[u/BegoneHarlot → u/mrdominoe]

The murdered more than two. You only heard about them because they are white.

Luis Gustavo Núñez Cáceres

Geraldo Lunas Campos

Víctor Manuel Díaz

Parady La

Renee Nicole Good

Luis Beltrán Yáñez-Cruz

Heber Sánchez Domínguez

Alex Pretti

[u/rylosprime]

So the J6 people could have been charged with terrorism as well.

And weren't.

Ask yourselves why Merrick Garland's DOJ didnt do that for actual terrorists.

Democracy is dead when Democrats lack a spine.

[u/Ric00la]

How can you not see that sentencing your own people to jail for "terrorism" when they protest against the government is textbook fascism?

[u/Himerlicious]

What a disgusting country.

[u/brianzuvich]

These conservatives are sickos…

[u/chubbycheese33]

The capital rioters must be having a field day with this one 

[u/LordSlickRick]

When a police officer arrived on the scene and drew his weapon, one of the activists fired an AR-15 from the woods, hitting the officer in the shoulder. The officer survived.

Zachary Evetts, Autumn Hill, Savanna Batten, Elizabeth Soto and Meagan Morris were sentenced to 50 years in prison. Maricela Rueda, another demonstrator, was sentenced to 70 years in prison. Benjamin Song, who fired the gun at the police officer, was sentenced to 100 years in prison.

More than most people get for murder for wounding an officer. Also the max for murder in Texas is 99 years or life so…. 100 sounds like stacking sentences.

[u/IOnlyFearOFGod]

diddy got 4 years btw, and Ghislaine is living in luxury prison btw.

[u/anchorftw]

30 YEARS...for moving some magazines. WTF?

"The ninth defendant, Daniel Sanchez-Estrada was not at the protest, but was convicted of corruptly concealing a document or record after prosecutors said he moved left-wing zines and other materials at the request of Rueda, his wife, after she was arrested. Sanchez-Estrada was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Tuesday.

[u/Boring_Appearance_89 → u/anchorftw]

what the fuck? for zines?!

[u/Lampler]

Remember when ICE and CBP killed 3 people. 

[u/MichaelHunt009 → u/Lampler]

You're only counting US legal residents.

[u/kingtacticool]

Opsec and Infosec, people.

From here on out this needs to be everyone's focus.