CHICAGO (AP) — A Democratic congressional candidate in Illinois has been indicted along with five others accused of blocking vehicles during September protests outside a federal immigration enforcement building in suburban Chicago, according to court documents.
The indictment, filed last week by a special grand jury, accuses Kat Abughazaleh of blocking a federal agent outside the immigration processing center.
“This is a political prosecution and a gross attempt to silence dissent, a right protected under the First Amendment. This case is a major push by the Trump administration to criminalize protest and punish anyone who speaks out against them,” Abughazaleh stated in a video.
Protesters have gathered outside the immigration center to oppose operations that have resulted in over 1,800 arrests and allegations of excessive force.
The indictment claims that Abughazaleh and others surrounded a vehicle driven by a federal agent on September 26, attempting to prevent its entry into the facility. The prosecution asserts that the group banged on the vehicle, pushed against it, and caused damage, all while another protester alleged that the event involved excessive police force.
Among those indicted are a candidate for the Cook County Board, a Democratic ward committeeman, and a trustee in Oak Park. Federal prosecutors allege that the group forced the federal agent to drive at an extremely slow rate of speed to avoid hurting anyone involved in the conspiracy.
Abughazaleh is a Democratic primary candidate looking to fill the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky. Protest activities against the immigration crackdown have become pivotal in Illinois’s upcoming March primary elections, with many candidates advocating for more humane immigration policies.
“As scary as all of this is, I have spent my career fighting America’s backslide into fascism,” she said. “I’m not gonna stop now, and I hope you won’t either.”
