Protesters Linked to Antifa Sentenced to Decades in Prison Following Texas Shooting
FORT WORTH, Texas — Eight individuals accused by the Justice Department of affiliations with Antifa received lengthy federal prison sentences on Tuesday, as a result of a shooting incident outside a Texas immigration detention facility. The confrontation, which injured a police officer, was characterized by prosecutors as an act of terrorism.
Among those sentenced was a former Marine Corps reservist, who received the harshest punishment—up to 100 years in prison—for firing a weapon during a July 4 demonstration outside the Prairieland Detention Center near Dallas.
Relatives and supporters of the defendants expressed their outrage at the sentencing during a press conference outside the federal courthouse. Hope Song, the mother of Benjamin Song, who was given the most severe sentence, contested the prosecutors’ assertion that her son was responsible for the officer’s shooting and insisted he had no intention of causing harm.
U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, one of the presiding judges in the case, emphasized that the events were not a mere protest but rather an “attack on democracy,” asserting a pressing need to curb such actions.
Seven other defendants received prison terms ranging from 30 to 70 years. Prosecutors maintained that these individuals were associated with Antifa, a decentralized anti-fascist movement targeted by the Trump administration. Although not a formal organization, Antifa refers to various far-left extremist groups who actively counter neo-Nazis and white supremacists during protests.
Last fall, then-President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, despite the absence of a corresponding group on the State Department’s list of foreign terrorist organizations. The defendants, however, refuted any claims linking them to Antifa, asserting that their participation in the demonstration was motivated by support for detained immigrants.
Prosecutor Frank Gatto advocated for harsher sentences, arguing that individuals with extremist views should face greater consequences. He expressed concern that, in their eyes, violence was a justified means of achieving their objectives. In contrast, Philip Hayes, the attorney representing Mr. Song, rejected the notion that the protesters were extremists, describing them instead as young individuals with a genuine desire to make their voices heard and stating they did not intend for violence.
During court proceedings, prosecutors claimed that Song shouted “go for the rifle” before firing at the police officer, who had just parked nearby. Hayes contended that Song’s shot was a form of suppressive fire, noting that the bullet ricocheted and struck the officer when he drew his weapon aggressively upon arrival. Hayes revealed plans to appeal the 100-year sentence, arguing that Song had otherwise lived an exemplary life as a former Marine and diligent student.
Family members of the other defendants also pleaded for leniency, with Autumn Hill describing the rally as more festive than confrontational. She and others attending the demonstration expressed they never anticipated or desired violence or property damage. Amber Rowley, speaking on behalf of her sister Savannah Batten, emphasized her sister’s caring nature and aspirations of opening a bakery, pointing to her evolution from animal rights activism to broader human rights advocacy.
Hill and Batten were respectively handed 50-year sentences, while other defendants had already pleaded guilty to charges of providing material support to terrorists without going to trial. Critics have raised alarms over the implications of this case on the future of protests, given that organizations operating in the U.S. are protected under the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech.
In a related development, federal prosecutors recently charged 15 individuals in Minnesota, alleging they obstructed the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts. These protesters were described as members of Antifa who had conspired against the federal government, employing tactics such as locking down government buildings and obstructing federal vehicles.
