A 22-year-old preschool teacher in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was handcuffed on camera shortly after she criticized President Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela. This unusual situation has spread online and renewed debates about how protests are managed and the limits of free speech.
Jessica Plichta was speaking to local TV reporters after a protest linked to the U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro when two officers approached her and arrested her. This footage has gone viral.
In the video, as police lead her away from the interview area, Plichta can be heard saying, “I am not resisting arrest.” Police stated that her arrest was due to “obstructing a roadway” and “failure to obey a lawful command.”
Plichta believes she was targeted because of her public remarks on Trump’s controversial capture of Maduro. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that as soon as I finished an interview speaking on Venezuela, I was arrested, the only person arrested out of 200 people,” she told Zeteo, noting the size of the crowd at the protest. The Daily Beast also reported that she was the only one arrested among about 200 demonstrators.
The Grand Rapids Police Department claimed they issued several warnings before the arrest. However, reports indicate they did not clarify why Plichta was specifically taken into custody.
This incident took place during the Trump administration’s risky move in Venezuela, the capture of Maduro. This action sparked protests in some U.S. cities from people opposing it and demanding his release. The protests often mixed anti-war sentiments with worries about how quickly U.S. foreign policy can affect people at home, especially when demonstrators feel punished for expressing their opinions, not for their actions.
⚡️🇺🇸JUST IN:
Police in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, arrested protester Jessica Plichta during an ABC interview after she criticized U.S. policy toward Venezuela, alleging she obstructed a roadway and failed to obey a lawful order.
She is clearly standing on the sidewalk. pic.twitter.com/foZqPIST6I
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws1) January 6, 2026
Plichta’s account of what occurred after the cameras stopped rolling has intensified this debate. The Daily Beast reported that she said officers moved her out of sight, interrogated her about any connections to Venezuela, and pressured her to name other protesters. She has described the experience as an attempt to intimidate rather than simply a street-clearing measure.
A statement from the police said that the group of which Plictcha was a part of, was blocking the roadway. They claim that “over 25 announcements were made from the PA system” of a marked cruiser, which was ignored by the protester. The statement adds that she and others violated the law by blocking the traffic, and she was identified by law enforcement.
Some have focused on the visuals of a young teacher in handcuffs, a microphone still in place, a protest group behind her, and officers arriving right as the interview ends. Even news sources that were not sympathetic to her views characterized the arrest as happening after police instructed protesters to leave the roadway for the sidewalk.
Plichta was arrested on camera after publicly condemning Trump’s actions in Venezuela. Police cited charges related to traffic and compliance. She claims she was the only arrest among around 200 people. Whether this was ordinary enforcement or a deliberate message in a public space remains up for debate, and that discussion continues to grow along with the video.
