by Tamar Sarai Davis This story was originally published at Prism. In the wake of the historic demonstrations against police brutality after George Floyd’s murder at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, advocates are sounding the alarm that an escalation in federal law enforcement means some protesters are facing the possibility of life imprisonment solely for property damage. That’s what happened to Colinford Mattis and Urooj Rahman, who participated in a protest in New York City in May 2020, where New York Police Department (NYPD) surveillance cameras captured footage of Rahman tossing a Molotov cocktail into an already damaged and empty NYPD car before entering a car driven by Mattis. Although no one was harmed, they were arrested and charged with seven federal counts including arson, use of an explosive device to commit a felony, and civil disorder; being found guilty on all charges would have resulted in sentences of anywhere from 45 years to life. In their story, alarmed researchers and activists see a disturbing trend in how the federal government responds to political dissent. The case gained widespread attention due to Mattis and Rahman’s backgrounds as lawyers who focused on pro bono work and representing low-income tenants, as well as the shocking severity of the charges leveled against them and the penalties they may face. A cohort of former federal prosecutors argued that Mattis and Rahman should be released to house arrest, and alumni of their schools and academic networks have written similar letters of support. Read more