On Monday, May 18, three Spokanites will stand trial for their roles in the June 11 protest that sought to stop Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from detaining two young Venezuelan men who were in the US legally.
Jac Archer, Justice Forral and Bajun Mavalwalla II — along with six others — were charged by the federal government with conspiracy to impede a federal officer by using threats, force or intimidation to stop ICE agents from discharging their duties. The other six people arrested, including former City Council President Ben Stuckart who posted the original call asking protesters to come to the ICE building on that day, took plea deals that allowed them to avoid the threat of federal prison.
But come Monday, the three remaining defendants will have their day in court as they seek to prove that their actions on that fateful day in June were those of nonviolent civil disobedience. They say they didn’t plan to cause harm to, threaten or intimidate any officers, and don’t deserve federal felony charges.
The charge
Archer, Forral and Mavalwalla II were charged under 18 U.S. Code § 372 – Conspiracy to impede or injure an officer. Here’s how that offense is defined under the code:…