How repression is born and how to resist it | Javier Corrales and Daniel Altschuler

"We have entered the openly repressive phase of the Trump presidency. The administration has moved beyond verbal attacks on civil society. It is now deploying coercive force against civic organizations and their leaders. While the attacks may seem contained for now, they are likely to grow. Research on other cases of democratic backsliding suggests that once coercion begins, regardless of how limited at first, escalation follows."

"The evidence that coercion has started is abundant. Trump's campaign promise was to use coercion primarily on undocumented immigrants. Since January, targets have multiplied. The administration began with brazen assertions of executive power to cow universities and law firms. Former FBI director James Comey and the New York attorney general, Letitia James, who tried to hold Trump to account, have been indicted (they are seeking to have the cases dismissed)."

"The administration has designated antifa (a nonexistent organization) a domestic terror organization. National guard troops and other federal forces have been deployed in cities against the will of governors and mayors, leading to confrontations that become violent. All of this comes in addition to the turbo-charging of ICE, which is now using helicopters and chemical agents to raid communities. US citizens seen as obstructing ICE operations are being detained."

An openly repressive phase of the Trump presidency has begun, moving beyond verbal attacks to coercive force against civic organizations and leaders. Targets have multiplied beyond initial promises to focus on undocumented immigrants. The administration has asserted executive power to intimidate universities and law firms and pursued indictments of officials who sought accountability. Antifa has been labeled a domestic terror organization, and federal forces have been deployed in cities against local officials, producing violent confrontations. ICE has intensified operations with helicopters and chemical agents, and citizens obstructing ICE are being detained. Research on democratic backsliding shows initial coercion often escalates. Pro-democracy groups, universities, law firms, labor and advocacy organizations should prepare strategic nonviolent resistance and build broad coalitions to defend fundamental rights.

Read at www.theguardian.com