Illinois congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh and five other protesters — some of whom have ties to local politics — were indicted on federal charges after attempting to block a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicle from driving into a federal immigration facility, while damaging the vehicle in the process.
The six individuals were all indicted on two counts: conspiracy to impede or injure a federal law enforcement officer, and forcibly impeding, intimidating, or interfering with a federal law enforcement officer while engaged in official duties.
The incident occurred September 26, when the six protesters attempted to block an ICE agent from entering the Broadview, Ill., immigration facility. The group “banged aggressively” on the vehicle and “pushed against the vehicle to hinder and impede its movement,” according to the indictment. It was also reported that the word “PIG” was etched into the vehicle, and the group damaged not only a side mirror, but also the back windshield wiper.
If convicted, there is the potential to serve up to 14 years in prison — up to six years for the conspiracy charge and up to eight for the intimidation charge.
Abughazaleh, running for Illinois’ ninth congressional district, is one of the many Democrats vying to win the seat after incumbent Representative Jan Schakowsky decided to retire.
In a recent social media post, Abughazaleh characterized the indictment as “political persecution.”
“This case is a major push by the Trump administration to criminalize protest and punish anyone who speaks out against them. That’s why I’m going to fight these unjust charges,” she said. “This administration has resorted to weaponizing the federal justice system to scare us into silence, but we’re not going to be silenced.”
Other Illinois Democrats feel similarly, including other candidates such as Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and Illinois state Senator Laura Fine.
“The only people engaged in violent and dangerous behavior at Broadview have been ICE. As someone who has protested at Broadview multiple times, I know these protests are nonviolent demonstrations against the kidnapping of our neighbors,” Biss said, also calling for the charges against the group to be dropped.
Fine is “disgusted” by the indictments.
“This administration wants to rob us of our empathy – to make us afraid to fight for one another,” she said. “But we cannot abandon the values that make us who we are. We’re a community that shows up, links arms, and refuses to look away. No indictment, no threat, no act of intimidation will change that.”
Court dates have not been determined for the defendants at this time.