Overview
- An Oct. 23 indictment unsealed Wednesday charges Kat Abughazaleh with conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer and with assaulting or impeding an officer over a Sept. 26 incident outside the Broadview ICE facility.
- The filing names five co-defendants — Michael Rabbitt, Andre Martin, Catherine Sharp, Brian Straw, and Joselyn Walsh — in an alleged plan to block an agent’s car.
- Prosecutors say the group surrounded the vehicle, banged on it, pushed against it, etched the word “PIG” into the body, and damaged a mirror and a windshield wiper, forcing the agent to drive extremely slowly.
- If convicted, the conspiracy count carries up to six years in prison and the assault/impeding count carries up to eight years; the case is assigned to U.S. District Judge April M. Perry.
- Abughazaleh called the case a political prosecution and vowed to fight the charges, as a separate temporary restraining order by Judge Sara Ellis continues to limit federal crowd-control tactics at Chicago-area protests.