Violence and Gaslighting: This is What Authoritarianism Looks Like. We Must Resist.

WASHINGTON-On Saturday, January 24, federal law enforcement agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shot and killed U.S. citizen Alex Pretti-a 37-year-old Veterans Affairs hospital nurse-in Minnesota while he was protesting. Pretti's death occurred two weeks after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good during an ongoing Trump administration campaign deploying ICE and U.S. Border Patrol agents in the streets of American cities, spreading fear and violence. Immigrants and citizens alike have been detained, abused or killed under the watch of DHS officials.

Below is a statement by Dr. Gretchen Goldman, president and CEO of the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

"The Trump administration has dangerously escalated its violent behavior, including against its own people. This past weekend, a U.S. citizen was killed by federal law enforcement agents while exercising his constitutional right to free speech and peaceful assembly. The Trump administration propaganda machine also went into overdrive villainizing the victim and trying to gaslight the nation into believing their fabricated version of events in contradiction of widely available video evidence.

"This is what authoritarianism looks like.

"Throughout history, scientists have played a pivotal role in standing resolute against authoritarian regimes-in being the keepers of observational data and empirical evidence. The fabric of our democracy is being pulled apart thread by thread, and we mustn't look away. The only effective response is to unite and resist. This will mean holding elected officials and those with power and privilege accountable, supporting community groups in their efforts to keep their neighbors safe, and exercising our constitutional right to peaceful protest.

"UCS joins those opposing state-sanctioned violence and will not cave to the fear and intimidation tactics being employed by President Trump and his cronies. The Trump administration must immediately cease all violent, unlawful ICE and Border Patrol actions. We call on Congress to speak up and use every tool at their disposal to hold this administration accountable, including calling for a transparent, credible, and just investigation of the violence and deaths in Minneapolis and elsewhere. Congress should also withhold any further funding for ICE until the administration agrees to safeguards that will protect the public."

Check out the latest UCS blog post, "Scientists Must Act: Five Ways You Can Stand Up to Authoritarianism Today."