Charges have been dropped against four anti-ICE protesters in Chicago after the US attorney abruptly dismissed the criminal case.
“US Attorney Andrew Boutros announced his office was dropping the charges with prejudice after a closed-door hearing before US District Judge April Perry, during which the Joe Biden-appointed jurist said she was ‘incredibly shocked’ by the government’s actions,” the New York Post reported.
The four defendants include former congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, her campaign aide Andre Martin, Oak Park village trustee Brian Straw, and 45th Ward Democratic committeeperson Michael Rabbitt.
US District Judge April Perry accused prosecutors of rigging the grand jury to secure an indictment.
More from the Post:
Boutros claimed he was unaware of the misconduct, which included a prosecutor meeting with a grand juror outside proceedings and panelists who refused to vote for an indictment being removed from the pool.
The top prosecutor did not dispute the claims, but insisted to Perry that “no one acted with the intent to mislead your honor, and I think that they were following your order to give the law,” according to a transcript of the hearing that was released later Thursday.
Six “activists,” known as the “Broadview Six,” were initially charged for having “conspired … to prevent by force, intimidation, and threat” a federal law enforcement officer from carrying out official duties in a manner seeking “to injure him in his person or property,” the newspaper noted.
They were indicted after surrounding an ICE agent’s car in the Chicago suburb of Broadview back in September. Boutros called the protesters’ actions “unacceptable in a civilized society.”
It’s not by accident that judges never showed such prejudice against Jan. 6 defendants, many of whom entered the U.S. Capital through doors being held open by law enforcement officers.
Here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story, as seen on X:
Feels like another case where politics and law got tangled together.
— Stefan (@stefanmaga2026) May 22, 2026
Protesters will become even more violent if they don’t get any punishment. Make an example of a couple and sentence them to at least 5 years and that shit will stop.
— Ken (@Ken_Allaga) May 22, 2026
you can thank Lisa Murkowski-the only republican to support her nomination to the bench
— Teflonlawyer (@teflonlawyer2) May 22, 2026
It’s always Chicago or Minneapolis. Two shithole cities lead by shithole leaders.
— Hawkeye005
(@Hawkeye005) May 22, 2026
Judges never dismissed any charges for the J6 defendants. In fact, they mostly added enhancements to their charges.
The DOJ had a “dangerous Republicans” narrative to peddle for the Democratic Party. pic.twitter.com/QmqbCM8XkO
— Morning Glory
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