Some of the protests against the inauguration turned violent, in part because they were infiltrated by anarchists using black bloc tactics. It’s perfectly appropriate that people who committed violent acts should be punished. But it is concerning that prosecutors have taken the highly unusual step of charging them with “felony rioting,” which could land them in prison for 10 years. It is even more concerning that most of the 230 people who were arrested were targeted not on the basis of their actions but merely on the basis of their presence at a protest that turned violent.
Slate, “The three scariest moments from the Trump administration in its first days.”
