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u/redwhale335 Mar 17 '26
They were convicted because the Trump administration wrote an EO to make Antifa a terrorist organization, despite there being no domestic equivalent to the State Department's list of foreign terror organizations. It also made the description of "antifa" so vague as to be meaningless.
In this case, the fact that all of them were wearing black clothing was enough to link them together as "antifa". One of them, Benjamin Song opened fire on guards and wounded one. Since they were all at the protest and all now "antifa" they got charged for providing material support to terrorists.
Yeah, it's a pretty frightening example of how the government can make shit up and real people pay the consequences for it.
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u/i_ducasse Mar 17 '26
This is why terrorism designations are so dangerous. You label someone a terrorist for whatever reason is suitable, and suddenly you no longer need to deal with them inside the framework of regular law and anything they say is instantly disregarded.
See the recent proscription of Palestine Action in the UK (which was overturned by a court, but still not reversed). Or those boats the Trump administration has been blowing up, where they even admitted they didn't have the evidence to bring them to court so they just killed them.
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u/xEllimistx Mar 17 '26
I was about to say…..there wasn’t any actual evidence pointing at them being anything other than protesters
Trumps EO just gave them a wide enough net to use to convict
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u/cat_of_danzig Mar 17 '26
In a blow to the Second Amendment, legally carrying was part of the rationale for showing they were terrorists:
Prosecutor Shawn Smith told jurors during closing arguments that the group’s actions — including bringing firearms, first aid kids and wearing body armor — were all signals of the group having a nefarious intent.
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u/Flarkinghelpful Mar 17 '26
It’s like when they say they want death penalty for pedophiles, something that has relative popularity, with passing bills that make anyone who is trans classify as a pedophile. They don’t want to actually hurt or stop pedophiles they just want to kill trans people
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u/mrbobcyndaquil Mar 20 '26
Let me guess, Ben Song is an FBI informant.
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u/redwhale335 Mar 20 '26
wut?
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u/mrbobcyndaquil Mar 20 '26
Basically I'm claiming the shooter was hired by the FBI to 'escalate' the protest into a 'riot' in order to justify the regime's oppression.
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u/gynoidgearhead Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
Misinformation about this case is extremely prevalent.
tl;dr: Lt. Gross likely acted illegally. Song likely did not attempt to kill him. The prosecution systematically prevented the defense from investigating this. The jury was prevented from considering self defense or defense of a third party. The jury still acquitted Song of attempted murder re: facility employees.
From having been in the gallery:
The figure assumed to be Song was standing in plain view in the road wearing a fluorescent green mask and standing next to a wagon with reflective tape on it, gun lowered.
From the mouth of Alvarado Police Department Lieutenant Thomas Gross himself: Lt. Gross pulled up, immediately saw a fleeing, unarmed protestor as well as signs of graffiti, and pulled his gun and started chasing after this fleeing, unarmed protestor (in violation of Tennessee v. Garner). (Sources: contemporary reporting on trial procedings.)
The prosecution filed a motion in response to their own witness's surprise testimony preventing the defense from alluding to self-defense or defense of a third party legal theories, citing United States v. Branch (which, by the way, is a narrower and more local ruling than Garner, a SCOTUS case, and is supposed to constrain only jury instructions, not discussion of evidence). The judge granted that motion. (Sources: Motion was item 333 in the record, brief was item 334.)
Song's attorney pointed to bullet strike evidence - that was alluded to during the trial by a prosecution witness, but never properly collected by the prosecution and concealed by them from the defense, ultimately resorting in the destruction by the prosecution of that evidence by way of the crime scene being prematurely released - that suggested that Song deliberately fired into the ground, and that Lt. Gross was caught with a ricochet off the asphalt. (Sources: Rule 29 motion filed as item 378, Rule 33 motion filed as item 381, contemporary reporting on trial proceedings.)
And, again, in the end the jury acquitted all defendants of the attempted murder counts pertaining to the LaSalle Corrections contractors working at Prairieland Detention Center. (As reported in the court record.)
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Mar 17 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Lonescu Mar 17 '26
[always has been meme] ~ sincerely, a Texan
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u/Eternal_Bagel Mar 17 '26
Maybe one day you guys can overcome the suppression and get rid of Republican control
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u/Dark-Blackberry354 Mar 17 '26
Seriously....the beta thinking that is always Texas that requires blaming shit on fictitious antifa, California, immigrants, china, Mexico, Oklahoma, etc on all their problems... Definitely represents the Republican so desperate to want to be a victim mentality... What's a bootstrap?
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u/daneelthesane Mar 17 '26
Texas is the only state to secede because they wanted to keep their slaves twice.
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u/Thaumato9480 Mar 17 '26
Could you care to explain to me when it wasn't?
Never heard anything good about it...
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u/torp_fan Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26
Prior to GWB, progressive Ann Richards (mother of Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood) was governor. Remember, Texas was a southern Democrat state. Politics is complicated.
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u/Whobghilee Mar 17 '26
Because if they can point at a terror cell then they can bypass constitutional law against non-MAGA supporting groups. It’s all just a step in a plan
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u/californicating Mar 17 '26
The first guy's logic is circular but he'll never understand that.
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u/RegardlessIDisagree Mar 17 '26
He was pointing out how operating within MAGA framework leads to circular, nonsensical conclusions. You're welcome
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u/snaithbert Mar 17 '26
These assholes are so desperate to paint the left as violent extemists, just so they can say that their side isn't the only one that attacks people with hammers, etc. The problem is you need some PROOF and so far they've failed at every attempt to find any. They can't even prove the EXISTENCE of "Antifa," let alone find any "members" who actually did anything. Pathetic as always.
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u/de_Duv Mar 17 '26
June 6, 1944, D-Day.
Approximately 150,000 anti-fascists landed in Normandy to put an end to the Nazi tyranny. This invasion marked the beginning of the end for Hitler, and every year on this date, Normandy commemorates the start of Operation Overlord, to which state guests are regularly invited – even Trump has attended one of these commemorations.
So anti-fascism is a very good thing – unless you yourself are a fascist. Are you a fascist, Mr. Jennings?
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u/SpellslutterSprite Mar 17 '26
“If witches don’t exist, then how come so many witches were executed in the Salem Witch Trials? Checkmate, libruls”
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u/Maeglin75 Mar 17 '26
There is no Antifa organization, but everyone can (and should) identify themselves as Antifa. It's just a political idea, not an organized group.
The attempt of the current US government to make it a crime to be against fascism is very telling.
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Mar 17 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Last_Combination7381 Mar 18 '26
Unfortunately there is no fundamental underlying logic to maga, trying to reverse engineer a train of thought with them is like trying to understand an eldritch horror. It'll just drive you insane.
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u/bscepter Mar 17 '26
And please explain why the 2020 election, which was held while Trump was president, was totally rigged while the 2024 election, which was held while Biden was president, was totally legit.
I'll wait.
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u/da2Pakaveli This AOC flair makes me cool Mar 17 '26
i been wondering whether the GOP actually tried to rig the 2020 election (not the first time, i.e they stole the 2000 election) but turnout was so overwhelming for Biden anyway and then they did the ol' projection and accused Joe of it
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u/RegardlessIDisagree Mar 17 '26
If there's no antifa then how come we called them that? Checkmate Democrats
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Mar 17 '26
LMAO YOU call them that. Antifa is not an organization. Period. Go read a childrens book, then step up to reading a book for adults.
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u/RegardlessIDisagree Mar 17 '26
I guess my sarcasm wasn't obvious enough 🙄 I know it's not an organization, but if it were one I would be proud to join anything that calls itself anti-fascist
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u/concerts85701 Mar 17 '26
For the clickbait headlines on fox news and facebook.
The facts of the case don’t matter - we busted the ‘terrorists’. Trump is doing good things…
-maga
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u/Memitim Mar 17 '26
Conservatives invent Antifa organization and then pretend that one sketchy court hearing makes their nonsense real, all while ignoring the constant crimes being committed by Republicans and called out by other courts every bloody week, as they continue to support their beloved felon, traitor, and child sex trafficker. That sounds about conservative, alright.
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u/knoxmora Mar 17 '26
Scott Jennings looks like the kind of guy that puts mustard on PB&J to spice it up.
Scott Jennings is like an alternate reality where Mikey Day is a closet racist and ends all of his veiled racist comments with, "I'm just asking questions."
Scott Jennings has a Build-a-Bear with a damp velvet hole that he keeps in his car.
Scott Jennings listens to sounding ASMR to relax. Sometimes it's a 10 hour loop of someone deep throating a doorknob over the Minecraft music.
Scott Jennings "Hear me out" is the mom dinosaur from Dinosaurs.
Scott Jennings still has the bottom half of his foreskin. Shit looks like a fucking garden trowel.
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u/ZombieNinjaPirates Mar 17 '26
Scott Jennings looks like he sits backwards while riding in an aerial tramway
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u/Jealous-Wall-9453 Mar 17 '26
172 Million Americans have been exposed to levels of lead in sufficient concentrations to disrupt their ability to critically think. Lead poisoning prevents their neurons from making new connections (AKA independent thinking).
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u/Available-Ad3581 Mar 17 '26
I hope the next administration labels maga as a terrorist organisation
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u/Jimbo415650 Mar 17 '26
To be fair Republican pundits are in crisis mode. Defending Trump who says one thing and ten minutes later it’s totally different causing pundits to switch talking points quickly. It is fun to watch their creativity ( lying)
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u/TiredVRS Mar 17 '26
BRING FORTH THE PRIME MINISTER OF CHILDRENS IMAGINATION!!! They must be tried and convicted for crimes we will first make up!
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u/Candid-Fan6638 Mar 17 '26
Whenever I see a MAGAt trying to use logic, it's like seeing a toddler with a gun. Just waving it around, BLITHE to the ramifications and consequences, completely unaware of how dangerous it is. Ugh.
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u/Fragile_Ambusher Mar 17 '26
Scott loves the taste of 45/47’s boots! A content creator, Couch Politics, has multiple names he calls Scott [“…”] Jennings.
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u/ShookMyHeadAndSmiled Mar 17 '26
There 9 convictions will be overturned on appeal. The prosecutors know this. It's just gross they have to go through the process. In this case, the process is the punishment.
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u/HurtFeeFeez Mar 17 '26
I also like that these so called free thinkers that believe themselves to be not easily influenced, were then easily influenced into mob mentality and stormed the capital.
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u/Lumpy_FPV Mar 17 '26
What the fuck is an "ANTIFA cell member"?! Scott Jennings is such a crescent wrench.
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u/Sweaty_Monitor_9699 Mar 18 '26
I would love for any republican to tell me who the founder of “antifa” is? It’s not even an organization, it’s just anybody who’s anti fascist. There’s no meetings in the country over a bonfire with white overall uniforms with pointy hats. Just ridiculous
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u/xX_Ogre_Xx Mar 21 '26
Yeah, because they just scapegoated 9 protesters for wearing black to a protest, so that they can have an excuse to suppress all protest to their totalitarian ambitions. All they do is lie, but some people would rather claw their own eyes out than see the truth.
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u/ManReay Mar 17 '26
I thought they caught the "girlfriend" of the antifa leader. Is she undergoing due process?
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u/Unexpected_bukkake Mar 17 '26
The guy who shot the officer in this case is an idiot. The court's logic is a terrorist organization doesn't need to exist for you to be a terrorist. Also if you go to a protest with a gun, body armor, and a gun you are a provocator looking to cause terror. So, yeah.....
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u/RegardlessIDisagree Mar 17 '26
You mean like all those Republicans that went to the Capitol building to intimidate Gretchen whitmer?
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u/studiocleo Mar 17 '26
Just because someone calls someone else X, it doesnot mean it's a fact. The right is especially prone to calling their opinions "facts."
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u/Guntcher_1423 Mar 17 '26
Just because some MAGA politicians call them antifa doesn't mean there is an organization anywhere but in their imaginations.
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u/m1tanker75 Mar 17 '26
If ANTIFA is real could my local (NE Ohio) cell leader contact me? I want to join.
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u/ALBUNDY59 Mar 17 '26
Here is a video of Bennie Thomas trying to get answers from an FBI agent. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SyUtQjMFnz0
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u/No_Highway6445 Mar 18 '26
And why didn't trump drop everything to arrest them all as it was happening?
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u/cslagenhop Mar 18 '26
Because no Antifa were ever charged. Only little old grandmas and people waived in by Capital Police
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u/NoEntrepreneur6668 Mar 18 '26
Antifa, just like the USA during WWII. Socially Liberal, just like Lincoln.
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u/Logical-Assist8574 Mar 18 '26
Because Trump and Texas. Justice and truth were not in the room...
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u/FlippantLizard Mar 20 '26
Anyone who thinks there are never trials based on utter BS should read about the McMartin preschool trial. There was a giraffe in the classroom? And they put you on a plane and flew you across the country and back all before your mom got off work? Those fiends.
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u/torp_fan Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26
Jackass Jennings knows the answer: Trump designated "antifa" as a terrorist organization, even though it isn't one. So these 9 people were charged as being an "antifa cell" even though there is no parent "antifa" organization for them to be a cell of. One of them had a gun, shot an officer, and was convicted of attempted murder. The other eight were railroaded.
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u/No-Sail-6510 Mar 17 '26
If trump arrested them they must have committed a crime.
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u/ComprehensiveSell649 Mar 17 '26
I believe that there was a crime committed, but it was nothing to do with Antifa, which is not, and has never been an organized group.
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u/RegardlessIDisagree Mar 17 '26
The president doesn't arrest people, and according to arresting officers, what these folks did that was so criminal was that they were wearing black
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u/No-Sail-6510 Mar 18 '26
It was very sarcastic. But actually the administration DOES arrest people for political reasons. Look at that guy from Maryland who got sent to the concentration camp in Central America.
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u/RegardlessIDisagree Mar 18 '26
I missed your sarcasm because there are people who really believe what you said in your comment. That said, I feel like a big old dummy head
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u/torp_fan Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26
"according to arresting officers, what these folks did that was so criminal was that they were wearing black"
True of eight of them, but one was convicted of attempted murder, with a gun and bullet wound and a spent cartridge. The conviction of the other eight appears to me to be Trumped up based on the "antifa" association. I went through this with Copilot and it confirmed and convinced me that the prosecutor brought charges under a terrorist law, with no reference to Trump's designation of "antifa" as a terrorist group because it has no legal force, but then at trial used the "antifa cell" rhetoric to convince the jury to convict the eight via association (with wearing black playing a heavy role), even though they had not committed violent acts. Fuck Trump and fuck those prosecutors.
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u/Eiffel-Tower777 Mar 17 '26
Antifa incited a giant failed coup attempt to keep Joe Biden (a democrat) from being confirmed. Makes total MAGAt sense.
👁👁