Eight sentenced over Texas immigration detention center riot

Eight people accused by federal prosecutors of ties to antifa were sentenced Tuesday to a combined 450 years in prison for their roles in a July 4 disturbance outside a Texas immigration detention center where a police officer was shot and wounded.

Benjamin Hanil Song, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist described by the Justice Department as the group’s purported leader, received 100 years in prison after being convicted of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer. Seven others were sentenced to terms ranging from 30 to 70 years in connection with the incident outside the Prairieland Detention Center, south of Dallas.

Prosecutors called the attack an act of “terrorism” and said the defendants were linked to what the Justice Department called the North Texas Antifa Cell. President Donald Trump designated antifa — short for anti-fascist — a “domestic terrorist organisation” last year. Critics of that designation have said antifa is an ideology or loosely organized movement, not a formal group with a leadership structure or membership.

“The sentences handed down today make clear that Antifa terrorists who attack law enforcement and federal facilities will face swift and uncompromising justice,” Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.

The Justice Department said the defendants shot off and threw fireworks at the facility, vandalized vehicles and a guard kiosk, and used weapons and explosives. According to Al Jazeera, prosecutors told jurors the group brought firearms, first aid kits and body armor, which they described as signs of intent. The Justice Department said Song yelled, “Get to the rifles,” and opened fire, striking a police officer who had just arrived.

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor called the events “an assault on democracy” and said deterrence was necessary. “The need to deter this type of conduct is high,” he said, according to Al Jazeera.

Defense lawyers and family members rejected prosecutors’ portrayal of the defendants as extremists and said the sentences were excessively harsh. The defendants have denied affiliation with antifa and said they attended the demonstration to support detained immigrants. Some people who attended said they believed the gathering was intended as a “noise demonstration” without violence.

Song said in a written statement Tuesday that he fired because he believed the officer was preparing to shoot a protester, according to multiple media outlets and an advocacy group for the defendants. His mother, Hope Song, disputed claims that he shot the officer and said he did not intend to hurt anyone, the Associated Press reported.

Phillip Hayes, Song’s lawyer, said his client will appeal. “This is a bunch of kids and young adults who really have a really big heart and really wanted their voice to be heard,” Hayes said, according to Al Jazeera. “It was never intended that anybody get hurt. It was never intended that any shots would be fired.”

Maricela Rueda was sentenced to 70 years. Cameron Arnold, also known as Autumn Hill; Savanna Batten; Zachary Evetts; Bradford Morris, also known as Meagan Morris; and Elizabeth Soto each received 50 years. Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada was sentenced to 30 years.

“I am livid,” Lydia Koza, Hill’s wife, said after Hill’s sentencing. “The government wants to take her entire life away because she attended a protest. Nobody died.” Hill told the court the gathering “seemed more like a party to me than anything else” and said participants “didn’t expect or want any violence or destruction of property to occur.”

A ninth defendant, Ines Soto, is scheduled to be sentenced July 1. Seven others pleaded guilty before trial to one count of providing material support to terrorists and are also set for sentencing July 1.