US protester arrested after TV interview says she was targeted due to Venezuela trip

<p>Plichta faces misdemeanor charges, which locals say is a tactic of Grand Rapids police to suppress protests</p><p>Jessica Plichta was arrested on 3 January after a live interview with a local news station about a Grand Rapids, Michigan protest against the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/trump-administration">Trump administration’s</a> seizing of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s president, in an attack with a reported death toll of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/jan/07/europe-greenland-denmark-us-france-trade-weather-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695f0c0d8f08e0dc61f227d9#block-695f0c0d8f08e0dc61f227d9">100</a>. The clip went immediately viral, racking up millions of views across social media. While the <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-critic-arrested-on-camera-after-speaking-out-against-maduro-venezuela-capture/">headlines</a> focused on Plichta’s age (22) and that she’s a pre-school teacher, Plichta believes the reason for her arrest – seemingly the only one among roughly 200 protesters – went beyond the day’s events.</p><p>Plichta, who recently co-founded local group Grand Rapids Opponents of War, an organizer of Saturday’s protest, had visited the Venezuelan capital of Caracas just last month, amid the Trump administration’s blockade. She was a part of a delegation to the International People’s Assembly for Sovereignty and Peace of Our Americas. Activists from dozens of groups planned to attend. But after Trump ordered that Venezuelan airspace be <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/29/trump-venezuelan-airspace-military-00670743">“closed in its entirety” on 29 November,</a> many canceled their trips.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/08/venezuela-protester-arrested">Continue reading...</a>

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