Federal Charges Filed Against Illinois House Candidate for Protesting ICE Facility
The US Department of Justice has brought federal charges against Kat Abughazaleh, a candidate in the Democratic primary for Illinois's 9th Congressional District, and five other activists for protesting outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in Broadview, Illinois. The 11-page indictment accuses Abughazaleh and the other protesters of using force, intimidation, and threats to prevent an ICE agent from performing his duties.
The charges claim that the protesters "banged aggressively" on a federal agent's car, crowded together to impede its movement, and even scratched the vehicle with the word "PIG" etched into it. Abughazaleh, who is running in a crowded field to replace Rep. Jan Schakowsky, has denied these allegations.
"This is a political prosecution and a gross attempt at silencing dissent," Abughazaleh wrote. "This case is yet another attempt by the Trump administration to criminalize protest and punish those who dare to speak up."
The indictment alleges that Abughazaleh put her hands on the hood of the car and braced herself against it while remaining in its path, causing the federal agent to drive at a slow speed to avoid injuring anyone. The disruption forced the agent to slow down, effectively halting his work.
If convicted, the protesters could face up to six years in prison for conspiracy charges and eight years for intimidation charges. Conspiracy charges are often used against protesters, and this case is seen as part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to silence dissent.
Abughazaleh points out the irony of the Trump administration accusing protesters of violence when ICE agents have been involved in numerous violent clashes with demonstrators at the same facility. In fact, an incident where a pastor was shot in the head with a pepper ball is often cited as evidence that protesters are the aggressors.
In response to the charges, Abughazaleh has stated she will not be intimidated and plans to continue fighting these unjust charges. "I've spent my career fighting America's backwards slide towards fascism," she wrote, "and I'm not going to give up now."
This case highlights the ongoing tension between protesters and law enforcement in the US, particularly under the Trump administration. As The Intercept notes, "this is not hyperbole" – the government is attempting an authoritarian takeover of the country.
The Department of Justice has yet to respond to The Intercept's request for comment on this story.
The US Department of Justice has brought federal charges against Kat Abughazaleh, a candidate in the Democratic primary for Illinois's 9th Congressional District, and five other activists for protesting outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in Broadview, Illinois. The 11-page indictment accuses Abughazaleh and the other protesters of using force, intimidation, and threats to prevent an ICE agent from performing his duties.
The charges claim that the protesters "banged aggressively" on a federal agent's car, crowded together to impede its movement, and even scratched the vehicle with the word "PIG" etched into it. Abughazaleh, who is running in a crowded field to replace Rep. Jan Schakowsky, has denied these allegations.
"This is a political prosecution and a gross attempt at silencing dissent," Abughazaleh wrote. "This case is yet another attempt by the Trump administration to criminalize protest and punish those who dare to speak up."
The indictment alleges that Abughazaleh put her hands on the hood of the car and braced herself against it while remaining in its path, causing the federal agent to drive at a slow speed to avoid injuring anyone. The disruption forced the agent to slow down, effectively halting his work.
If convicted, the protesters could face up to six years in prison for conspiracy charges and eight years for intimidation charges. Conspiracy charges are often used against protesters, and this case is seen as part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to silence dissent.
Abughazaleh points out the irony of the Trump administration accusing protesters of violence when ICE agents have been involved in numerous violent clashes with demonstrators at the same facility. In fact, an incident where a pastor was shot in the head with a pepper ball is often cited as evidence that protesters are the aggressors.
In response to the charges, Abughazaleh has stated she will not be intimidated and plans to continue fighting these unjust charges. "I've spent my career fighting America's backwards slide towards fascism," she wrote, "and I'm not going to give up now."
This case highlights the ongoing tension between protesters and law enforcement in the US, particularly under the Trump administration. As The Intercept notes, "this is not hyperbole" – the government is attempting an authoritarian takeover of the country.
The Department of Justice has yet to respond to The Intercept's request for comment on this story.
... Abughazaleh seems like a solid candidate, but now she's gotta deal with these bogus charges 
... it's crazy how some people think protesting is a crime 
... what if ICE was on the other side of the fence? 
. And now, they're trying to silence dissenting voices like Abughazaleh? 
. It's a way for them to make their voices heard and bring attention to an important issue.
. I'm all for peaceful protests, but when someone puts themselves in harm's way like this, it's hard not to wonder if they're being reckless or just plain wrong 
.
.
. It's like the government is trying to use its power to intimidate dissent and quash any opposition. And Abughazaleh's not even being reckless – she was literally standing in front of a car, refusing to budge until it backed up. I mean, what exactly did she do wrong? 
The fact that they're trying to frame her like this is so telling... it's all about silencing those who speak out against the status quo 
kat abughazaleh is a total rockstar and i love how she's not backing down from these trump-inspired charges 
her whole "this is a gross attempt at silencing dissent" vibe resonates with me so hard 
what really gets my goat is that ice agents have been involved in violent clashes with protesters and nobody gets charged but kat 
i mean, who's supposed to be silenced here? the government? please 
. I mean, think about it - the government is charging someone with felony crimes for exercising their right to free speech and peaceful protest. It's like they're trying to silence dissenting voices, which are supposed to be the backbone of our democracy.
can't believe this is happening in our country... a candidate in the democratic party is being charged with a crime just for exercising her right to free speech and protesting against an ICE facility 
.