“It’s no secret that a lot of the people that were targeted are union organizers who are being charged for some of their alleged actions on the day of no work, no school, no shopping,” said Cal Robinet, a union electrician and activist. Robinet is one of 15 people in Minnesota who were recently federally indicted on felony conspiracy charges for their community activism during ICE’s deadly Operation Metro Surge immigration enforcement. “I think it’s really important to point out that the retaliation that we’re seeing from the federal government isn’t just related to our speech, it’s related to the power that we have together.”

A week after being raided by federal agents and brought to federal custody, Robinet spoke about their experience, opinions on the indictment, the inspiring support they’ve received from the community, Prairieland sentencing and more.

Seeking to further criminalize legal observing and protesting, the federal indictment accused the defendants of opposing the authority of the government and impeding their federal operations by posting opinions to Facebook, being present at protests, attending meetings where direct actions were spoken upon, and wearing certain clothes.

The indictment calls many of the defendants “anarchists” and “antifascists,” both descriptors newly named as “terror groups” in the latest White House counterterrorism strategy.

These charges are a continuation of Trump’s vindictive domestic policies against the left as he directs federal agencies to go after political opponents using NSPM-7 and his executive order designating antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.

“These charges are a joke,” said Robinet. “There’s nothing that we’ve done that thousands upon thousands of people haven’t done as well. These are all lawfully protected activities. And the reason that they’re throwing the book at us is because this is a political case to them. that we are enemies of state for our political beliefs, for activities as union organizers and for existing as queer people in this world.”

“With regards to NSPM-7, just know that these cases are going to continue. And while we may be anarchists, please don’t think that it’s going to stop there. You know that this is just a scapegoat to try and chip off one edge of the movement, much like that Niemöller poem. You know, first they came for X and then we came for Y. Know that that’s going on today, that when they say we’re coming for anti-fascists, what they’re calling Antifa is a boogeyman that doesn’t exist. What they’re doing is they’re going after anybody who says no to them. And you should not be surprised when that starts applying to you. It’s interesting to me that they put opposition to the US government in part of the conspiracy, because to them, I could see why that would be a major crime. Because they want obedience at all costs. They love it. They just love that shit. But we’re free people. We’re free people, and we do as we please. And we love as we please, and we live as we please. You know, to live in love, we must fight. And that’s the situation that we’re put in now. We’re standing up for any immigrant, any person of color or anyone who stands in their way, that’s who they’re coming after. And that’s who we need to be protecting right now.”

Read more on the case in link below.