DOJ indicts Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh over ICE protests

A special federal grand jury has indicted Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh alongside other protesters who allegedly blocked vehicles outside of a federal immigration facility in Broadview, Illinois.

A special federal grand jury has indicted Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh alongside other protesters who allegedly blocked vehicles outside of a federal immigration facility in Broadview, Illinois.

The indictment, which was filed Oct. 23, alleges that Abughazaleh "physically hindered and impeded” an agent who was "forced to drive at an extremely slow rate of speed to avoid injuring any of the conspirators.” Abughazaleh was charged alongside five other people, including two other political candidates.

She faces one count of conspiracy along with one charge alleging that she “forcibly impeded, intimidated, and interfered” with an officer.

The indictment alleges that the group "conspired with one another and others, known and unknown, to prevent by force, intimidation, and threat, Agent A, a United States law enforcement officer, from discharging the duties of his office, and to injure him in his person or property on account of his lawful discharge of the duties of his office, and while engaged in the lawful discharge thereof, and to injure his property so as to interrupt, hinder, and impede him in the discharge of his official duties."

The defendants were not arrested but were notified of the indictment and will self-surrender next Wednesday, according to a court filing. U.S. District Judge April M. Perry, a Biden appointee, is assigned to the case.