By David Sole
The fascist character of the Trump regime is coming into sharper focus as mass protests sweep across the United States. The rhetoric and actions of the president are encouraging and unleashing targeted police attacks, violence and even murder by his subordinates and his mass following against anti-MAGA protests.
Unable to solve any actual problems among the population, Trump has sent thousands of troops into city streets to terrorize immigrant populations through mass roundups, arrests, detentions and deportations, often with no legal authority or no due process.
Declaring a few protests in Los Angeles to be an “insurrection” Trump federalized the California National Guard with no consultation, and against the wishes of that state’s governor. It was all theater. Two thousand of the Guard were sent into downtown L.A. with nothing to do. No preparations were made for their food, water or sleeping accommodations. Then Trump and Hegseth, wanting to send a message to progressive forces around the country, mobilized 700 U.S. Marines and also sent them into L.A.
Governor Abbot of Texas, an avid fan of Trump, mobilized thousands of Texas National Guard and Highway Patrol officers, sending them into many cities in that state prior to peaceful, anti-Trump protests on June 14.
Trump’s agents in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have also been authorized to attack and arrest public officials who oppose the neo-fascist Trump program.
On May 9 New Jersey’s Congresswoman LaMonica McIver attempted to inspect the Newark Delaney Hall ICE detention center along with two other Congress members and Newark’s mayor, Ras Baraka. They were denied their legal right to enter the facility and assaulted by masked HIS officers. Later McIver was indicted on three felony charges of attacking the government goons. She faces 17 years in prison.
Across the country U.S. Senator Alex Padilla attempted to ask a question of Homeland Security head Kristi Noem at a June 12 press conference in L.A. Federal agents forced Senator Padilla from the room, pushed him to the ground and handcuffed him
Masked ICE agents also attacked New York City’s Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander as he escorted an immigrant from the man’s court hearing. This came about when Lander asked to see a warrant from the federal agents. Lander was physically abused and taken away along with the immigrant. Hours later New York governor Hochul got Lander released to a waiting crowd of supporters.
A pattern is emerging of Trump’s minions rounding up many thousands of immigrants, often with no warrant. The agents are also putting on a show of violence, often masked with no identification visible. Lander described it by saying “they are looking to stoke conflict, weaponize fear, and undermine democracy.”
Also alarming is the violence that is coming from the MAGA base against progressive individuals and protests. There were reports of scattered attacks directed at the June 14 “No Kings Day” demonstrations that drew over five million people across the U.S.
In Detroit the Highwaymen motorcycle club mobilized several dozen bikers who marched into the No Kings Day rally of thousands in the city’s Clark Park. Fighting broke out but was contained and deescalated by security teams from the march organizers. Other cities saw the “Proud Boys” try to provoke violence and in Utah a demonstrator was shot to death when an armed security volunteer shot at a man who brought a rifle to the No Kings Day rally, obviously preparing a mass shooting of protestors.
Most dangerous was the June 14 assassination of Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband in their home. Vance Boelter, a right-wing survivalist, stalked and then shot dead the two victims. He went there after shooting and wounding state Senator John Hoffman and his wife. This type of violent attack has been seen previously, as in the assault of the husband of Representative Nancy Pelosi on October 28, 2022. Trump’s violent and dehumanizing rhetoric is directly responsible for such actions.
The use of national guard and marines in the streets, Trump’s Executive Order urging violent behavior by local police forces and the whipping up of the MAGA base in language describing progressive people as “unhuman” are part of a real fascist threat from the entire Trump regime.
Only a mass mobilization, organized and prepared can protect the people of the United States from fascist violence.
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