'Broadview 6,' indicted over anti-ICE protests outside holding facility, plead not guilty

BROADVIEW, Ill. (WLS) -- The so-called "Broadview Six" pleaded not guilty Wednesday, after being accused of getting violent with federal immigration agents.

The group includes several local politicians.

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They were among the people accused of surrounding and damaging a government vehicle, back in September at the Broadview U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.

None were detained after the hearing.

A rally was held in support of those charged Wednesday, near the Dirksen Federal Courthouse downtown Chicago.

A federal grand jury indicted the six for allegedly assaulting and conspiring to injure law enforcement.

Because the six include four Democrats either running for office or already serving, supporters allege they are being prosecuted for their political beliefs and not because of anything they actually did on that day.

"We're here in solidarity because people did one of the most American things to do, exercise their freedom of speech in the face of injustice and fascism," 40th Ward Ald. Andre Vasquez said.

House candidate Kat Abughazaleh and five others were charged with felony offenses for their alleged involvement in a series of skirmishes with officers that later went viral on social media outside of the facility in Broadview.

Abughazaleh, 26, is running for Congress for the Illinois 9th District to take Jan Schakowsky's seat.

The indictment alleges Abughazaleh conspired with others to impede a law enforcement officer from carrying out his duties on Sept. 26 by surrounding his vehicle and banging "aggressively" to prevent it from moving outside of the Broadview facility's staging area.

The defendants "conspired with one another, and others, known and unknown, to prevent by force, intimidation, and threat, Agent A, a United States law enforcement officer, from discharging the duties of his office...and to injure his property so as to interrupt, hinder, and impede him in the discharge of his official duties," the indictment alleges.

They're also accused of scratching "the body of the Government Vehicle, including etching a message ... specifically the word 'PIG.'"

Abughazaleh has posted multiple videos of her joining protests outside of the facility, including one on Sept. 19 that showed her being thrown to the ground by an ICE officer.

"I have been charged with conspiracy for protesting with others, but expressing our First Amendment rights is not a conspiracy. And dissent is not a crime," Abughazaleh said.

The videos have led to calls from right-wing activists such as Laura Loomer to have the Department of Justice arrest Abughazaleh and others who joined in the protests.

Cook County Board candidate Catherine "Cat" Sharp is also among the defendants who had federal charges brought against them.

"We are seeing the Trump administration violate our Constitution and violate our human rights. These criminal charges will not silence us from speaking out against this injustice," Sharp said.

If convicted, the conspiracy count carries a maximum of six years in federal prison.

The defendants are expected back in court on Dec. 4.

Wednesday's arraignment took place on the same day two other Broadview-related court hearings took place, including one that was held to determine the conditions under which a federal judge will conduct a site visit Thursday.

That site visit is meant to inspect the facilities in which detainees are being held.

ABC News contributed to this report.