A 22-year-old pre-school teacher and anti-war organiser was arrested in the United States immediately after giving a live television interview about a protest, in a case that has sparked allegations of political targeting.
Arrest Follows Viral Protest Interview
Jessica Plichta was taken into custody by police in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on 3 January 2025. The arrest occurred just moments after she finished a live broadcast with a local news station, discussing a demonstration against the Trump administration's military action in Venezuela. That operation reportedly resulted in the seizure of President Nicolás Maduro and a death toll of around 100.
The clip of her interview was viewed millions of times across social media platforms, rapidly gaining viral status. While roughly 200 people participated in the protest, Plichta was the sole individual arrested in connection with the day's events. She now faces misdemeanour charges for "obstructing a roadway and failure to obey a lawful command from a police officer".
A Trip to Caracas and Claims of Retribution
Plichta, a co-founder of the group Grand Rapids Opponents of War, believes her detention was directly linked to a recent international trip. In late November 2024, she travelled to Caracas, Venezuela as part of a delegation to the International People’s Assembly for Sovereignty and Peace of Our Americas.
Her visit came despite an order from the Trump administration on 29 November that closed Venezuelan airspace, which caused many other activists to cancel. During her time there, Plichta visited communes, met with local activists, and claims to have spoken with President Maduro.
"I came back to the US, and I’ve done report-backs. I had spoken at that rally. I gave an interview, and immediately, during the interview, I get shut down and arrested out of 200 people. So what else can you say about that?" Plichta stated.
A Pattern of Protest Suppression?
Local activists assert that the charges against Plichta are part of a wider police strategy to stifle dissent. Emerson Wolf, co-director of the Institute for Global Education in Grand Rapids, was arrested on identical charges in 2024 after speaking at an International Women's Day event.
"If it’s truly about the safety of people executing their sacred free speech rights in the streets of Grand Rapids, then why doesn’t GRPD arrest protesters right away?" Wolf questioned. "Instead, they issue citations months later in order to criminalise dissent."
Wolf connected Plichta's arrest to broader concerns about state violence, citing the recent killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agents in Minneapolis. "First, they arrest us on camera, and then they shoot us in the streets," Wolf said. "This is unacceptable. We’re living in a nightmare right now."
Both activists see the US action in Venezuela as a critical flashpoint. "We do not want war. We do not want the US to escalate its attacks on Venezuela. We don’t want our friends and family to have to fight a rich man’s war for oil," Plichta emphasised.
Despite the arrest, Plichta remains defiant, suggesting such tactics will backfire. "When you try to suppress the movement, all it does is radicalise those who stand against needless war," she said. Wolf echoed this sentiment, asking, "If they don’t want us marching in the streets, how else do they expect us to voice our opinions?"
