The guilty verdict on federal terrorism charges for activists protesting ICE at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, marks a dangerous win for Trump and the criminalization of dissent. Throughout the 3-week trial in North Texas, prosecutors advanced the baseless claim that “antifa” is a terrorist organization—pointing to political zines and black clothing as supposed evidence. This case delivers a major victory for Trump’s long-running effort to recast a loosely defined political ideology as a domestic terrorist threat.
What does this mean for the Prairieland Defendants—and for the future of First Amendment rights in the United States?
To unpack the legal stakes and broader implications, Defending Rights & Dissent is partnering with the National Lawyers Guild for a timely panel discussion featuring legal and press freedom experts.
Join us on Wednesday, April 8, at 4pm ET, for a livestreamed panel event, featuring:
- Chip Gibbons: Policy Director at Defending Rights & Dissent and author of the forthcoming critical history of the FBI, The Imperial Bureau
- Seth Stern: Chief of Advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation
- We also expect to be joined by either a Prairieland defendant or a member of the DFW Support Committee
Moderator:
- Xavier T. de Janon – Director of Mass Defense at the National Lawyers Guild and Attorney with People’s Law Collective
Watch the panel on YouTube:
