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Comment on Protesters charged with 'Terrorism Hoax' for too much glitter on their bannerparent

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It will probably never happen, since if the charges aren't dropped, dozens of prominent civil rights lawyers will probably offer to defend these guys pro bono.

And it would be hard to convince a jury that these guys actually intended to perpetrate a terrorism hoax. Who'd believe that someone could mistake glitter that fell off a sign for a dangerous substance?

That's all fine and well, but it reveals an underlying system of anti-democratic behavior by our security services. This is certainly not the first or last instance they have used counterterrorism as a justification to go after activists.

Alas, with the explosion in the number of statutory crimes on the books, intent is about the last thing that's necessary to end up a felon.

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