"The indictment, filed last week, alleges that the 26-year old Palestinian American candidate and five other individuals physically hindered and impeded a federal agent who was forced to drive at an extremely slow rate of speed to avoid injuring any of the conspirators. Abughazaleh, who is running for Illinois's ninth congressional district to replace the outgoing Democrat Jan Schakowsky, was charged with conspiracy to forcibly impede or injure a federal agent, and assaulting or impeding the agent while they were performing official duties."
"According to the indictment, the group etched the word pig on to the vehicle and broke a side mirror and a rear windshield wiper. It also alleged that Abughazaleh specifically joined the crowd at the front of the government vehicle, and with her hands on the hood braced her body and hands against the vehicle while remaining directly in the path of the vehicle, hindering and impeding the agent."
Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old Palestinian American progressive running for Illinois's ninth congressional district, was federally indicted for participation in September protests outside an ICE processing facility near Chicago. The indictment charges conspiracy to forcibly impede or injure a federal agent and assaulting or impeding an agent performing official duties. Prosecutors allege Abughazaleh and others crowded, banged on, pushed against, and etched "pig" onto a government vehicle, broke a side mirror and rear wiper, and forced an agent to drive at an extremely slow rate to avoid injuring protesters. Abughazaleh is accused of bracing her hands and body on the hood while remaining directly in the vehicle's path. She called the indictment political prosecution and an attempt to criminalize protest; she is known for criticizing Trump-era immigration crackdowns on social media.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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