Kat Abughazaleh, a Democratic congressional candidate in Illinois, was recently indicted on federal conspiracy charges for protesting outside of the Broadview ICE Processing Center. She and five others are accused of assaulting and conspiring to injure law enforcement officers.
Abughazaleh, who is running against incumbent Republican Representative Mike Quigley, has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration's immigration policies and its treatment of migrants at the border. In an interview with The Intercept Briefing podcast, she said that her indictment was "a clear attack on free speech, freedom of association, and the right to protest."
She expressed frustration that elected officials are not doing more to stand up for their constituents, saying "You need to do your job even if you're scared, because that's what people deserve from their leaders." She also criticized other politicians who she believes are not taking bold enough action against Trump's policies.
Abughazaleh has been a pioneer in using social media and grassroots organizing to mobilize support for her campaign. Her supporters have denounced the indictment as "political prosecution" and accused her opponents of trying to silence protesters' First Amendment rights.
She emphasized that she will continue to use her voice and stand up for immigrant rights, saying "If this is supposed to be an intimidation tactic, you really picked the wrong girl."
Abughazaleh, who is running against incumbent Republican Representative Mike Quigley, has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration's immigration policies and its treatment of migrants at the border. In an interview with The Intercept Briefing podcast, she said that her indictment was "a clear attack on free speech, freedom of association, and the right to protest."
She expressed frustration that elected officials are not doing more to stand up for their constituents, saying "You need to do your job even if you're scared, because that's what people deserve from their leaders." She also criticized other politicians who she believes are not taking bold enough action against Trump's policies.
Abughazaleh has been a pioneer in using social media and grassroots organizing to mobilize support for her campaign. Her supporters have denounced the indictment as "political prosecution" and accused her opponents of trying to silence protesters' First Amendment rights.
She emphasized that she will continue to use her voice and stand up for immigrant rights, saying "If this is supposed to be an intimidation tactic, you really picked the wrong girl."
i dont think it's fair that they indicted her just cuz she was protesting 
what even is the point of having free speech if u cant do it when it matters?? 
i feel bad for her, i hope she wins her election 
and btw have u tried that new ice cream shop downtown? i heard their cookie dough flavor is LIFE.CHANGING. 
As a wellness enthusiast, I believe in using your voice to make a difference, but this feels so extreme. 
Can't we just have respectful dialogue and listen to each other without resorting to indictments? 
It's like she's saying the opposite of what politicians are supposed to do - actually stand up for their people. 
. I'm not buying that her opponents are trying to silence protesters' rights - they're just mad that someone's coming for them on the issue 
. The fact that she's been using social media and grassroots organizing to mobilize support speaks volumes about her dedication to her cause 
. This indictment is a clear attempt to intimidate people from speaking out, but Kat's not having it 
!
. I mean, who tries to silence protesters? It's like they're trying to control our voices and actions. As a platform loyalist, I believe that freedom of speech is what makes this country great 
. We need people like Kat standing up for what's right, even if it means taking risks 
. Her indictment feels like a total overreach by the system - it's like they're trying to silence her because she won't stop speaking out 
! If this is meant to intimidate her, it'll only fuel her fire 
.
. It's crazy that people are trying to silence her 
. As a supporter of hers, I think it's awesome how she's using social media to mobilize people 
. This is just another example of politicians trying to intimidate protesters and stifle free speech 
#ImmigrantRightsAreHumanRights. The fact that they're trying to silence her is just laughable 
#StillSpeakingOut. She's a true leader, and we should be supporting her, not silencing her 
#KatAbughazalehDeservesRespect.
. They're trying to silence her because she's speaking truth to power and making people uncomfortable for the establishment 
. I don't trust the timing of this indictment... it feels too calculated. And what about Mike Quigley, isn't he supposed to be running against her? Wasn't there some shady deal going on behind the scenes? 