Thu Jan 16 17:43:03 UTC 2025: ## Concerns Rise of Renewed Crackdown on Protests as Trump Returns to Office
**Washington, D.C.** – The inauguration of Donald Trump in 2017 saw a controversial mass arrest of nearly 234 protesters, raising concerns about potential future crackdowns on dissent. Legal experts and former defendants warn that the precedent set by these “J20 prosecutions,” where hundreds were charged with conspiracy and rioting based on the actions of a few, could be repeated under a second Trump administration.
Elizabeth Lagesse, a chemical engineering student arrested during the 2017 protests, spent 18 months fighting felony charges, ultimately dropped due to prosecutorial misconduct. While most charges in the J20 case were dismissed, Lagesse highlights the chilling effect of the government’s attempt to hold hundreds collectively responsible for the actions of a small group of vandals. She fears the lack of explicit judicial rejection of this approach leaves the door open for similar prosecutions in the future.
This concern is echoed by legal professionals like Mark Goldstone, who represented dozens of J20 defendants. He points to the ongoing “Cop City” protests in Atlanta, where numerous activists face serious charges including “domestic terrorism,” as evidence of a more aggressive approach to prosecuting protesters. Goldstone fears a second Trump administration would see harsher sentences and a broader application of such charges.
While the public response to Trump’s 2024 victory has been comparatively muted, experts attribute this not solely to fear of repression, but also to protest fatigue and disillusionment following the George Floyd protests and the Biden administration’s policies. Chip Gibbons, policy director at Defending Rights & Dissent, notes that despite past crackdowns, massive protests like those following George Floyd’s death still occurred. However, he also acknowledges a sense of helplessness and burnout amongst some activists.
Despite the current relative calm, the 2017 J20 prosecutions serve as a stark warning. The combination of past legal precedents, aggressive rhetoric from Trump toward his critics, and the passage of restrictive anti-protest laws at state and local levels leave many fearing a renewed and potentially more effective crackdown on dissent during Trump’s second term. Lagesse believes the mere threat of such prosecutions discourages participation in protests, potentially silencing marginalized voices. The potential for future mass arrests and heavy-handed prosecutions remains a significant concern for civil liberties advocates.
First Piper 