Kat Abughazaleh, a congressional candidate and social media influencer, has been indicted in a federal case regarding obstruction of a U.S. law enforcement officer. The indictment, unsealed recently, also names five other individuals, including Catherine Sharp, a candidate for the Cook County Board, and Michael Rabbitt, a Democratic committeeperson from the 45th Ward. The 11-page indictment outlines charges against Abughazaleh and her co-defendants for their involvement in an altercation outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, which took place on September 26.
The document states that the group surrounded a government vehicle, allegedly attempting to obstruct a federal agent from executing his duties. Specific actions cited in the indictment include aggressive banging on the vehicle, scratching its surfaces, and even damaging key components of the vehicle, such as etching the word “PIG” onto it and breaking a side mirror. The described behavior forced the agent to navigate the situation at a dangerously slow speed to avoid harming any of the protesters.
In response to the charges, Abughazaleh characterized the indictment as a political maneuver intended to suppress dissent, asserting that it infringes on First Amendment rights. In a video posted on social media, she expressed her determination to contest the charges, framing the case as part of a broader attempt by the Trump administration to criminalize protests and intimidate individuals participating in peaceful demonstrations. “ICE has hit, dragged, thrown, shot with pepper balls, and teargassed hundreds of protesters, myself included,” she stated, insisting that expressing opposition to government actions should not be met with criminalization.
The other defendants also include Andre Martin, Brian Straw, and Joselyn Walsh, with particular attention on Straw, who is running for Oak Park village trustee. He previously described protests at the Broadview facility on his social media as peaceful gatherings. Sharp’s attorney criticized the charges against her client as unfounded and predicted a jury would recognize them as a tactic to dissuade public participation in protests.
None of the defendants has had their arraignments scheduled yet, and the case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge April Perry. As the legal proceedings unfold, the defendants are prepared to challenge the accusations that they believe are politically motivated and aimed at limiting free speech during a politically charged climate.