Protesting injustice is not a crime. It’s a right protected by the First Amendment. But right now, that right is under attack.

President Donald Trump has begun calling protesters in Los Angeles “insurrectionists” — a term historically reserved for violent uprisings aimed at overthrowing the government. This isn’t just rhetorical excess. It’s a deliberate attempt to paint lawful protesters as enemies of the state.

Let’s be clear: there is a deep hypocrisy here. This is the same Donald Trump who helped incite a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6 — an actual insurrection, where law enforcement officers were injured, and members of Congress were forced to flee for their lives. He now wants to apply that same term to a few hundred peaceful protestors in LA — people standing up against immigration raids and mass deportations.

The reality on the ground tells a different story. These protests were overwhelmingly peaceful. People were marching, chanting, and holding signs in defense of immigrant rights and human dignity. At times, tensions flared — but law enforcement’s response, including tear gas and mass arrests, often escalated the situation. 

Instead of seeking de-escalation, Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 marines, and smeared the protesters as “bad people.” This is how democratic norms are undermined: not in one dramatic moment, but with false language that turns protest into a pretext for repression.

We call on elected officials at every level — and especially members of Congress — to:

• Publicly denounce the characterization of LA protesters as “insurrectionists”
• Affirm the right to peaceful protest under the First Amendment
• Push back against any federal actions that seek to suppress or criminalize lawful dissent

This is not just about one city. It’s about the right of all Americans to speak out without being branded enemies of the state. Add your name if you believe dissent is not a crime — and that hypocrisy and authoritarianism have no place in our democracy.

Photo via bbc.com