The Dangerous Drift to Redefine Protest as Terrorism
2 days ago
- #civil liberties
- #terrorism
- #protest
- The line between civil disobedience and terrorism is collapsing, raising concerns about democratic dissent.
- Historical examples like the Palmer Raids and COINTELPRO show how governments overreact to perceived threats, targeting dissenters.
- The First Amendment protects protest, but not illegal actions like assault or vandalism.
- Legal boundaries exist between advocacy and incitement, true threats, and guilt by association.
- Federal law defines domestic terrorism broadly, creating discretion in labeling protest activities.
- Recent policy directives risk treating lawful protest infrastructure as investigative leads.
- Political leadership's rhetoric can pressure agencies to conflate dissent with terrorism.
- Maintaining the distinction between civil disobedience and terrorism is crucial for democracy.