[Lawtonfogle]

Self defense is only justified reactively against an immediate threat. Seeking out and attacking someone is never justified as self defense. We are talking about the actions of a movement... deliberate chosen actions. What deliberate chosen actions, not made in reaction to an immediate threat, is justified if the one doing it says it is for the cause of civil rights?

[icebraining]

That's the letter of the law, but Sheehan was acquitted by people who have a closer perspective to mine: if the threat is reinforced by past abuses/attacks and there's no expected relief from the authorities, even something deliberate can be self-defence. This can be true for a person, and for a group.