Federal prosecutors announced in court Wednesday that they are dismissing the felony conspiracy charges in the case against the so-called “Broadview Six.” They will instead proceed with lesser misdemeanor counts. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois filed conspiracy charges against six individuals in October for actions tied to a September protest at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois.

Prosecutors alleged the defendants, including former congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, conspired to “interrupt, hinder, or impede” the activities of a federal law enforcement officer by surrounding his government vehicle. During their November arraignment, the six co-defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

In March, federal prosecutors dropped charges against two of the defendants, Chicago musician Joselyn Walsh and former Cook County Board of Commissioners candidate Catherine “Cat” Sharp. 

At a Wednesday status hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney William Hogan said the government was moving to dismiss the lead charge in the indictment while pursuing misdemeanor counts against the remaining four defendants.

The remaining co-defendents include Abughazaleh; her deputy campaign manager, Andre Martin; Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw; and 45th Ward Democratic Committeeperson Michael Rabbitt. 

After the hearing, Abughazaleh wrote in a social media post that, despite the pending trial on misdemeanor counts, the hearing was a “huge win.”

“This case has cost myself, one of my closest friends, and four others immeasurable amounts of stress, money, and opportunity,” Abughazaleh wrote. “But the federal government knew they couldn’t try this BS and had to drop the felony charge.

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Related Stories:

— Federal prosecutors drop charges against two defendants in ‘Broadview Six’ protest case 

— Federal prosecutors to reduce conspiracy allegations in ‘Broadview Six’ protest case 

— May trial scheduled for case charging Abughazaleh for actions tied to Broadview ICE facility protest