Trump supporters try to doxx jurors and post violent threats after his conviction

 

Violent rhetoric has surged following the 34 felony guilty verdicts returned Thursday against former President Donald Trump. This wave of hostility is directed at the prosecutors, the judge, and the jurors involved in his conviction for falsifying business records related to hush money payments to a porn star during his 2016 campaign.

Advance Democracy, a non-profit conducting public interest research, has reported a significant uptick in social media posts containing violent language aimed at New York Judge Juan Merchan and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Disturbingly, one post even included Bragg’s purported home address. Additionally, purported addresses of jurors have surfaced on fringe internet message boards, though it remains uncertain whether these identifications are accurate.

These posts, observed by NBC News, are prevalent on platforms previously utilized by Trump supporters to coordinate violence ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. These forums, once rife with threats fueled by Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud in 2020, have now become breeding grounds for new threats regarding the hush money trial. Some echo Trump’s unfounded allegations that the judicial system is biased against him.

After Trump’s conviction, one user on a website formerly known as “The Donald,” which attracted participants in the Capitol attack, exclaimed, “Dox the Jurors. Dox them now.” (It appears moderators promptly removed this post.)

Numerous alarming statements have been made online regarding the recent legal proceedings, with some individuals advocating for extreme measures against jurors, judges, and others involved. These statements include threats of violence, doxxing, and even references to historical figures associated with authoritarianism.

One user on a forum suggested identifying jurors and causing them distress, while another advocated for armed individuals to take drastic action in Washington. Similarly, posts on platforms like Trump’s Truth Social and Telegram from chapters of the Proud Boys conveyed aggressive sentiments, with references to violence and historical figures like Francisco Franco.

Additionally, a defendant in the January 6 case posted a threatening message alongside images of a prosecutor, indicating a date for potential retaliation. These threats align with a concerning pattern observed earlier, where individuals associated with Trump's legal cases faced harassment and intimidation, sometimes escalating to violent acts.

According to Daniel J. Jones of Advance Democracy, this trend represents a dangerous erosion of democratic norms, exacerbated by disinformation campaigns and calls for violence from Trump and his allies. As such, it's crucial for elected officials to condemn such behavior and counter the spread of misinformation to uphold the integrity of the legal process and safeguard individuals involved.