A federal jury has acquitted grassroots activist Alexandria Augustine, also known as Alex Alott, of assault charges stemming from a protest last year.
That case, critics say, reveals a broader pattern in how federal prosecutors handle cases against activists: big headlines up front, quiet dismissals at the end.
Augustine, who was accused of assaulting a federal officer “with a deadly weapon” — the weapon being a 15-ounce umbrella — spent five days in federal custody following her arrest on July 24, the day before her birthday. She rejected a plea deal and instead took her case to trial, where jurors swiftly found her not guilty on all counts.
A Protest, an Umbrella, and an Unlikely Felony
According to court testimony, Augustine had been protesting outside a federal facility where she and others alleged that women and children were being transported in chains during nighttime operations. Activists often used umbrellas as shields to protect one another from pepper spray, rubber bullets, and other “less-lethal” projectiles.
Federal prosecutors, however, painted a more sinister picture, accusing Augustine of using her umbrella as a weapon against officers.
“They were trying to say that I was using my umbrella as a sword and not a shield,” Augustine explained in a video shared by journalist Nick Valencia. “Three federal protective service officers testified against me. All three of them perjured themselves on the stand.”
Her defense team introduced video evidence showing one of the officers had threatened her less than an hour before her arrest, reportedly saying, “You’re next.” That moment, Augustine said, demonstrates the retaliatory nature of the arrest.
A Broader Pattern of Federal Crackdowns
Activists and legal observers say Augustine’s case fits a recurring pattern: federal prosecutors bringing sweeping charges against protestors — often framed as deterrence — only to later withdraw or lose those cases quietly.
“Perform toughness in public, concede defeat in private,” one legal scholar described the approach. The tactic, critics argue, aims less at securing convictions and more at sending a message to future demonstrators.
Daniel Sosa, a fellow activist who witnessed Augustine’s arrest, called the prosecution “a waste of resources.”
“They targeted her. They assaulted her and then charged her with assault,” Sosa said. “All for what? To be found not guilty unanimously by 12 jurors.”
A Symbol of Resistance
The outcome has galvanized many in activist circles who view the verdict as both a personal victory for Augustine and a cautionary tale about overreach by federal law enforcement.
“They make themselves look a lot larger and a lot more powerful than they actually are,” Augustine said after her acquittal. “The light of the people is what will fix this.”
As similar cases around the country continue to unravel, Augustine’s story is another reminder that the pursuit of “law and order” sometimes collapses under the weight of its own theatrics.
