SPOKANE, Wash. – Several Spokane community members are being charged by federal attorneys for actions taken during the .
The people facing federal charges are Ben Stuckart, Justice Forral, Erin Nicole Lang, Collin James Muncey, Jac Dalitso Archer, Bajun Dhunjisha Mavalwalla II, Mikki PIke Hatfield and Bobbi Lee Silva.
The charges include conspiracy to impede or injure an officer and counts of assault on a federal officer or employee and assault.
Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie Van Marter and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa C. Cartier Giroux filed the charges.
Hearings will be held today at Foley Federal Courthouse in downtown Spokane.
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown released a statement about the event, addressing “the federal government’s detainment of local community leaders.”
“I just learned that several community leaders were detained this morning by federal agents apparently for their roles in the June 11 demonstration at the ICE facility,” she wrote. “I’m outraged.”
“This politically motivated action is a perversion of our justice system. The Trump Administration’s weaponization of ICE and the DOJ is trampling on the U.S. Constitution and creating widespread fear across our community,” she wrote.
Court documents describe the federal charges.
For counts of conspiracy and assault, court documents cite the social media post calling people to block a federal detainee transport bus, attempts to block the bus including slashing tires and spray painting its windshield, physical attempts to stop officers from leaving the federal building, moving signs to block the exit of the building, tire slashing, deployment of an “incendiary device” towards Spokane Police Department officers, and more efforts made by the individuals to get others to join the protest.
