On a recent edition of Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sat down with Bay Area organizer Rachel Jackson and veteran anti-fascist organizer Daryle Lamont Jenkins, founder of the One People’s Project, to unpack what they described as a growing and coordinated assault on civil liberties, political dissent, and independent journalism in the United States.
Using the recent Nation magazine article “Rolling Coup” as a starting point, the discussion connected a series of seemingly isolated events—from harsh sentences handed down to anti-ICE protesters in Texas, to arrests of legal observers in Minneapolis, to mounting pressure on media outlets and journalists. The guests argued that these developments are not random incidents, but part of a broader effort to suppress opposition movements.
Jenkins, who has spent decades monitoring white nationalist and far-right movements, pointed to demonstrations outside ICE detention facilities in New Jersey and warned against relying solely on elected officials to protect civil liberties. “It’s really been us that’s basically out there saying, we are going to do something about this,” he said. “We want our elected officials to reflect the kind of energy that we put into it.” He added that many communities feel abandoned by political leaders, noting, “Nobody’s really fighting for us, and we’re sick of that.”
Jackson emphasized the importance of “connecting the dots” between legal repression and direct violence against activists, journalists, and organizers. She argued that many of the current cases fit into a larger pattern. “There’s the legal attacks and repression that are happening, and then there’s the extra-legal force and violence and repression that is happening at the same time,” she observed.
The conversation highlighted several cases involving anti-ICE activists, independent journalists, and defendants facing conspiracy charges tied to protest activity. Jackson also raised concerns about information disappearing from public view. “I was trying to look up some of these cases, and I could not find them in the news,” she said. “Things are disappearing.”
Throughout the discussion, Davey D, Jackson, and Jenkins stressed that defending democratic rights requires vigilance, organization, and public awareness. The guests warned that attacks on protesters, legal observers, journalists, and media institutions should not be viewed in isolation. Instead, they argued, these developments reveal a troubling trend toward increased surveillance, criminalization of dissent, and the erosion of fundamental freedoms.
The conversation served as both a warning and a call to action, urging listeners to remain informed, organized, and engaged as political tensions continue to rise across the country.
Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.
