Conservatives rip Gen Z House candidate’s free speech claim after federal indictment: ‘She’s lying’
In a significant political development, Kat Abughazaleh, a Gen Z congressional candidate from Illinois, has been indicted by the Justice Department for her involvement in a protest outside a federal immigration facility. The indictment alleges that Abughazaleh “physically hindered and impeded” federal agents, forcing them to navigate their vehicles at dangerously slow speeds to avoid harming protesters. This incident occurred during a demonstration at the Broadview immigration detention center, where tensions have escalated between law enforcement and protesters advocating against immigration enforcement. The indictment not only highlights the contentious atmosphere surrounding immigration issues but also underscores the legal and ethical dilemmas faced by activists in the current political climate.
The reaction on social media has been swift and polarized, particularly among conservative commentators who have seized on the indictment to criticize Abughazaleh and her affiliations. Many have taken to platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to express their views, with the acronym “FAFO,” meaning “F–k Around And Find Out,” becoming a rallying cry against her actions. Prominent figures, including conservative strategist Rogan O’Handley and journalist Andy Ngo, have pointed out her ties to left-wing organizations and her previous work with Media Matters for America, framing her as emblematic of a broader trend among progressive activists. In contrast, Illinois Democrats competing against Abughazaleh have refrained from condemning her actions, instead redirecting their criticism toward federal immigration officials and the Trump administration, framing the indictment as a politically motivated attack on dissent.
In response to the indictment, Abughazaleh has characterized the charges as a “political prosecution” aimed at silencing her First Amendment rights. This sentiment has been echoed by local Democratic leaders, such as Evanston Mayor Daniel Bliss and State Senator Laura Fine, who argue that the real violence lies with the actions of ICE and the broader immigration enforcement policies. They assert that the indictment serves as a warning to all activists, suggesting that the current administration’s tactics are designed to intimidate and suppress dissent. As the situation unfolds, it raises critical questions about the balance between protest rights and law enforcement responsibilities, particularly in a deeply divided political landscape where activism and politics increasingly intersect.
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Conservatives are not holding back on social media after Gen Z congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh was indicted by the Justice Department Wednesday for blocking vehicles outside a federal immigration facility last month.
Abughazaleh “physically hindered and impeded” a federal agent who was “forced to drive at an extremely slow rate of speed to avoid injuring any of the conspirators,” according to the indictment. The charges stem from Abughazaleh’s protesting at a Broadview, Illinois immigration detention center, where law enforcement has been forced to make arrests and take non-lethal measures to control angry protesters.
After news of the indictment hit the internet, many conservatives posted the acronym “FAFO” on social media, which stands for “F–k Around And Find Out.” Others took the opportunity to highlight Abughazaleh’s relationship with satirical news site The Onion’s CEO, Ben Collins, and her history working for the left-wing media watchdog group
Media Matters for America.
One person pointed out she used to bartend before entering politics, similar to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., before she was elected.
FAR-LEFT UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PROFESSOR CHARGED WITH VIOLENT FELONIES DURING ANTI-ICE RIOTS IN BROADVIEW
“This nut job Democrat running for Congress physically pushed and obstructed an ICE vehicle from conducting official business, got indicted, and is now saying it was ‘free speech,’ conservative strategist Rogan O’Handley said on X. “FAFO.”
“Far-left congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, who worked for leftist group Media Matters, has been federally indicted,” said conservative journalist and commentator Andy Ngo. “She was recorded on video physically obstructing government officials. She’s lying on social media, saying her speech is under attack.”
“Nobody is above the law,” Article III Project Founder Mike Davis posted on X.
“You surrounded and physically blocked a federal agent’s car because illegal aliens are being deported,” former Trump White House staffer Greg Price posted on X, responding to a clip of Abughazaleh saying her First Amendment rights were being trampled on.
“LOL just found out that Kat Abughazaleh is dating Ben Collins,” said Will Chamberlain, senior counsel for the Internet Accountability Project and the Article III Project. “Perhaps the brazen criminality was just a desperate way to escape his clutches.”
“This former Media Matters blogger-turned congressional candidate attacked and impeded federal officers at an ICE facility and is now playing the victim when accountability comes,” Fox News contributor Joe Concha posted on X. “Par for the course. She’ll now be all over MSNBC and CNN. Guaranteed.”
DHS RIPS ‘DISHONEST, DESPERATE’ GEN Z CANDIDATE WHO RAGED AGAINST KRISTI NOEM’S ‘CRIMES’ AT ANTI-ICE PROTEST
But,
Illinois Democrats
directly competing against Abughazaleh to represent Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, decided to steer clear of condemning their opponent and instead focused their ire on federal immigration officials and the Trump administration.
Abughazaleh responded to the indictment by posting a video on X, saying, “This is a political prosecution and a gross attempt to silence dissent, a right protected under the First Amendment.”
Evanston Illinois Mayor Daniel Bliss (D) and Democratic state Sen. Laura Fine, both running against Abughazaleh, echoed Abughazaleh’s message of political persecution by the
Trump administration
after news of the indictment came down.
“The only people engaged in violent and dangerous behavior at Broadview have been ICE,” Bliss said of the indictment against Abughazaleh, which also included charges against five other protesters, according to local paper Evanston Now.
“As someone who has
protested at Broadview
multiple times, I know these protests are nonviolent demonstrations against the kidnapping of our neighbors,” Bliss continued. “Now, the Trump administration is targeting protesters, including political candidates, in an effort to silence dissent and scare residents into submission. It won’t work.”
“Today it’s Kat. Tomorrow it could be any one of us,” Fine wrote in a press release she shared on social media. “This administration wants to rob us of our empathy – to make us afraid to fight for one another. But we cannot abandon the values that make us who we are. We’re a community that shows up, links arms, and refuses to look away. No indictment, no threat, no act of intimidation will change that.”
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering US Politics news.
