By David Thomas
April 29 (Reuters) – Federal prosecutors in Chicago on Wednesday said they will drop the main conspiracy count against four people, including a former Democratic congressional candidate, who are facing criminal charges in connection with a September protest during the height of a U.S. immigration crackdown.
The conspiracy count was the only felony charge pending against Kat Abughazaleh, a former journalist who previously campaigned for a U.S. House seat, Andre Martin, Michael Rabbitt and Brian Straw. Prosecutors told U.S. District Judge April Perry, who is overseeing the case, during a hearing Wednesday they would drop the count, a spokesperson for the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The four defendants – sometimes referred to as the “Broadview Six” in reference to their protest at a detention facility in Broadview, Illinois – will still face misdemeanor charges of impeding a federal officer, the spokesperson said.
Two others, Catherine Sharp and Jocelyn Walsh, were indicted alongside them, but prosecutors dropped the charges against them completely last month.
Chicago U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutrous said in a statement his office is “constantly evaluating the facts and law in our Operation Midway Blitz cases, as well as new information when it is brought to our attention.” He said his office is “fully prepared to adjust our positions to adhere to that standard.”
The conspiracy charge was “the most serious count, and it’s the most troubling because it was intended to silence dissent,” said Christopher Parente, a defense attorney for Straw.
Prosecutors have accused Abughazaleh, Martin, Rabbitt and Straw of crowding around a government vehicle driven by a federal agent, intentionally hindering its progress as the agent tried to drive into the Broadview facility during a September 26 protest.
The Trump administration had launched an immigration enforcement surge known as “Operation Midway Blitz” that was met with protests from residents across Chicago, including candidates and elected officials.
Federal agents shot two people, including one fatally, and deployed tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets against protesters. The Broadview facility became a flashpoint during the operation.
(Reporting by David Thomas; Editing by Emily Schmal, Bill Berkrot and Stephen Coates)
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