Long Prison Sentences for Texas Activists Over Protest and Zine Moving
Eight Texas activists received prison terms ranging from 30 to 100 years for their involvement in a July 4, 2025 protest that turned violent. One defendant was sentenced to 30 years for moving a box of zines.
Days after a gunman killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Trump administration vowed to crack down on so-called antifa terrorists. That promise has now materialized with the sentencing of eight Texas activists. The sentences, ranging from 30 to 100 years, stem from a protest at the Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado, Texas.
During the protest, some participants vandalized an ICE van and a guard shack. When a police officer arrived, one protester, Benjamin Song, fired a rifle, striking the officer in the neck. Song was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 100 years. Prosecutors labeled him the leader of an antifa cell and also charged him with providing material support to terrorists.
Other defendants received harsh sentences for lesser offenses. Savanna Batten and Elizabeth Soto, who were not involved in planning the protest and left before the shooting, were each sentenced to 50 years. They were accused of distributing insurrectionary materials known as zines. Daniel Sanchez-Estrada, who did not attend the protest at all, received 30 years for moving a box of zines, which prosecutors called corruptly concealing a document.
The Department of Justice reportedly acknowledged that the zines themselves were not illegal—they were created for a book club named after anarchist Emma Goldman. However, it argued that the Sotos had provided material support to terrorists by tabling at a zine fair.
Judge Reed O'Connor described the defendants' actions as an assault on democracy and emphasized the need to deter such conduct. FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the agency remains committed to dismantling antifa networks, and more cases are coming. Last week, 15 people in Minnesota were indicted on similar charges, including conspiracy to impede federal officers and destruction of federal property.
Critics warn that the administration is using guilt by association to punish people for minor actions not directly linked to violence. The strategy could potentially be applied to anyone who resists federal immigration enforcement.
