Federal Indictment of Cop City Protesters Under Antifa Terrorism Initiative

In June 2026 the Department of Justice indicted Katie Kloth and Tyler Norman for alleged explosives and riot activity during a May 2022 protest against the Cop City police training center near Atlanta. The indictment cites the National Security Presidential Memorandum 7, an initiative launched by former President Donald Trump to combat “violent and terroristic activities” linked to self-described anti-fascism.

The Guardian

Cop City, a $109 million police training facility, opened near Atlanta in spring 2026 despite opposition over police militarization. On 12 May 2022 about 50 demonstrators gathered outside the Brassfield & Gorrie office, chanting and setting off fireworks that damaged property. Cobb County Attorney General Chris Carr added three participants to a criminal-conspiracy indictment in August 2023. A Fulton County judge dismissed that indictment in December 2023; a Cobb County judge dismissed a renewed indictment in April 2026, citing an “inordinate delay” that violated due-process rights. The federal case follows Prairieland trial in Texas, where three defendants received decades-long sentences for supporting ICE, a precedent Justice Department appears to invoke.

The Guardian

The DOJ press release described the indictment as “part of the National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 initiative,” targeting “violent and terroristic activities under the umbrella of self-described ‘anti-fascism.’” The September 2022 executive order signed by Donald Trump classified “antifa” as a “domestic terrorist organization.” Judge Robert E. Flournoy noted that the defendants’ due-process rights were breached by the lengthy interval between the alleged conduct and the indictment.

The Guardian

Attorney Xavier de Janon said the federal case mirrors the Prairieland strategy, arguing that prosecutors are “crafting a certain narrative on protests and trying to indict based on the narrative.” Will Potter warned that “fireworks become explosives. Communities become ‘antifa cells’. The power of language is going to become central to everything the government is doing moving forward.” Arun Kundnani noted that labeling protesters as terrorists has precedents from the 1970s and post-9/11, stating that “antifa exists as a concept – but not as a terrorist organization” and that such labeling “enables criminal prosecution.”

The Guardian

State courts have dismissed the same conduct twice on due-process grounds, while the federal indictment proceeds months later, raising questions about the timing and strategic use of NSPM 7. No federal ruling on the merits is yet available, leaving a gap in judicial assessment of whether the protest actions meet the statutory definition of terrorism.

The Guardian

• “It’s the federal government creating a boogeyman and then finding incidents to match,” — Xavier de Janon, attorney

The Guardian

• “Fireworks become explosives. Communities become ‘antifa cells’. The power of language is going to become central to everything the government is doing moving forward,” — Will Potter, author/filmmaker

The Guardian

• “Antifa exists as a concept – but not as a terrorist organization.” — Arun Kundnani, author

The Guardian

• “Oh, that sounds like ICE.” — Judge Robert E. Flournoy (interjection)

The Guardian