Arrests and trials continued through 1923, some connected to strike activity. IWW workers were generally arrested for distribution of both physical and verbal propaganda, often after being asked to desist by authorities. In a number of cases Wobbly organizers were charged with criminal syndicalism for simply distributing propaganda or for calling upon workers to boycott goods or strike.  Men were arrested in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Quincy CA, Raymond WA, and Fargo, ND. In almost all cases the men on trial were found guilty of criminal syndicalism. In one LA case however nineteen defendants had their cases dismissed, which the Industrial Worker heralded as “the death knell of the California criminal syndicalism law”.[8] One trial outcome in July managed to spawn strikes in protest of the verdict, although these strikes amounted to little and twenty-seven IWW members went to jail. Yet as with many cases the Industrial Worker spun the tale in their favor, highlighting the injustice of the situation and applauding the “determination of the workers to strike as a show of solidarity” .[9] Despite these attempts to stay positive, the arrests and trials appearing nearly every month highlight the difficulties that the IWW faced as government and big business sought to destroy the organization. The fact that they rarely won a court case shows too the public opinion on the matter, as the juries quickly concluded that the accused were guilty, ignoring the accusations of corruption and bribery that Industrial Worker.

The IWW also launched protests and in some cases called for strikes to secure the release of class-war and political prisoners serving prison sentences who had been swept up in the wave of repression that had begun in 1917. As would be expected from the dwindling support for the IWW, these protests generally amounted to little other than presenting their opinion on the subject. Some protests were directed towards prisoners of earlier times, namely the Amnesty Campaign centered in New York, which called for the release of political prisoners in addition to the boycotting of California goods and the spread of truth for the events of the Centralia incident of 1919.[10] The campaign was mostly a gesture but did manage to solicit a response from Governor Louis Hart of Washington, although he stated that "there will be no blanket order of release of any number of prisoners in our state penitentiary".[11]

Several events of note occurred outside of these major categories, primarily the murder, beatings, and general violence directed towards several Wobblies. William McKaye was shot by a watchman in Aberdeen, Washington, following a dispute. Twenty-five picketers witnessed the crime and the perpetrator was arrested promptly, although several strikes followed in mills related to the one in which the shooting occurred.[12] Another violent attack victimized six IWW workers looking for work near the Yellowstone Highway, who after being rejected from work were followed by multiple automobiles filled with “the superintendent and a few bosses and about 25 slaves”. The group was beaten, with one being thrown into the nearby river and three supposedly being forcibly conscripted into slave labor with the promise they would be shown “how the American Legion treat you damned I.W.W.”. The writer and one other worker managed to escape and tell the tale, further increasing the animosity towards the American Legion.[13] Another beating occurred near Susanville, California.[14] and a street meeting in Seattle was hit by a tear bomb which witnesses believed was thrown by police in citizens clothing.[15]

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