Just days after the conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed, the Trump administration vowed vengeance against those they deemed responsible. This week, eight Texas activists faced harsh sentences of between 30 and 100 years in prison, with one sentenced to 100 years for moving a box of zines during a protest outside an ICE facility.

The case concerns a July 4th protest where fireworks were set off, tires slashed, and a guard shack vandalised. A protester, Benjamin Song, was convicted of attempted murder after allegedly shooting at an officer who testified he feared for his life. But the most striking sentences came from those accused of distributing zines—a term now applied broadly to activists.

Defendants Savanna Batten and Elizabeth Soto were sentenced to 50 years each despite their limited involvement, while Daniel Sanchez-Estrada received a 30-year sentence for moving boxes of anarchist literature. The Department of Justice claims these materials provided 'material support to terrorists,' even though they weren’t illegal.

The case highlights the administration's aggressive stance against activism and free speech, using broad charges like 'distributing insurrectionary materials' to ensnare activists. Critics argue it’s collective punishment, while supporters say it deters future violence and terrorism.