The Criminalization of Protest: How Philanthropy Must Respond

From protest against US militarism and the genocide in Gaza to policing and incarceration, dissent and civil disobedience have become increasingly more criminalized. What does it mean when decision-makers and public officials are actively creating an increasingly dangerous reality for people participating in direct action against state violence in its many forms? The authoritarian creep, bolstered by state repression, effectively is silencing the collective voice that speaks out against it.

Unchecked, these attacks on organized protest and direct action will continue to sprawl until, in both theory and praxis, we can no longer mobilize for justice. The RICO 61, the Bay Bridge 78, the Sea-Tac 46 - countless numbers of organizers are facing the force of the state in terrifying ways. The stakes for protest are higher than ever, especially as we see law and order narratives demand protestors be ‘respectable,’ the continued threat of police violence, and the brutality experienced during arrest and in jail. Navigating the court process continues the suppression, especially in cases such as in Atlanta with Stop Cop City where defendants cannot even speak to each other - a detriment in a situation where collective support and community voice is vital.