A new Guardian analysis reveals that during the first year of the Gaza conflict, pro-Palestinian protests in the US led to thousands of arrests. However, around 60% of the cases against protesters were not prosecuted, with approximately 1,600 of 2,800 charges being dismissed. Legal experts argue that mass arrests are strategic tactics designed to intimidate participants and misrepresent protester violence. Data shows substantial variation in dismissal rates across cities, highlighting the broader implications of policing tactics on citizen dissent and public perception.
The state’s intent is not really to prosecute— the intent is to scare people out of wanting to participate in protests at all, said Ria Thompson-Washington.
In Los Angeles, about 88% of 476 charges, summons and citations reviewed by the Guardian were dismissed, demonstrating a significant trend in the dismissal of cases against protesters.
Legal advocates argue that the high number of dismissals reflects policing tactics, such as mass arrests, designed to silence protesters and chill dissent.
Police in part use mass arrests as a crowd control tactic and an easy and quick solution, said Xavier de Janon, director of mass arrest for the National Lawyers Guild.
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