Tuesday, July 15, 2:20 p.m.
Nine Spokanites have been arrested by the FBI for their actions during protests against federal immigration enforcement last month.
The father of Bajun Mavalwalla II, also named Bajun Mavalwalla, was present when a group of FBI agents arrested his son early this morning.
"They're hurling the accusation to scare people. It does not take eight or 10 FBI agents to go and get my son, who is nonviolent, a proven veteran, a dedicated American,” Mavalwala told SPR News.
He said the agents refused to show a warrant or tell his son why he was being arrested.
"You're supposed to have a right to due process. This is not due process, OK? This is Gestapo tactics," he said. "You're supposed to know how you're supposed to, what you're supposed to be getting arrested for. They're supposed to inform you of your rights. They did not do that."
Mavalwalla is a former military police officer and said the tactics used in the arrest are meant to intimidate.
"I was trained as a military police officer, and I was a police advisor in Afghanistan," he told SPR News. "I was in the 49th Military Police Brigade as their intelligence officer. And this is not how rule of law works."
Mavalwalla II, as well as Ben Stuckart, Justice Forral, Erin Lang, Jac Archer, Mikki Hatfield, Collin Muncey, Bobbi Silva and Thalia Ramirez are all accused of blocking a bus that was going to be used to transport two asylum seekers from the federal facility in Spokane to Tacoma for their immigration hearings
"They don't care about the protests," Mavalwalla said. "Their goal is to scare people. Their goal is to get people compliant."
Tuesday, July 15, 12:52 p.m.
A total of nine Spokane activists are scheduled to be arraigned in federal court this afternoon, July 15, for their actions during anti-immigration enforcement protests in June.
According to a statement from the acting U.S. District Attorney for Eastern Washington, Ben Stuckart, Justice Forral, Erin Lang, Bajun Mavalwalla II, Jac Archer, Mikki Hatfield, Collin Muncey, Bobbi Silva and Thalia Ramirez will all appear in court for the charge of Conspiracy to Impede or Injure Officers.
Hatfield and Silva have also been charged with Assault on a Federal Officer, Employee, or Person Assisting a Federal Officer.
Tuesday, July 15, 11:11 a.m.
Spokane activists and community leaders were detained by federal agents Tuesday morning.
Several had previously been arrested for their actions during anti-immigration enforcement protests in June.
Ben Stuckart, Justice Forral, Erin Lang, Bajun Mavalwalla II, Jac Archer and three others whose full names SPR News has not yet confirmed are scheduled for arraignment at 3 p.m. today at the Thomas S. Foley United States Courthouse in downtown Spokane, according to the court's calendar.
In a statement, Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said she's "outraged" by the detainments.
"This politically motivated action is a perversion of our justice system," Brown wrote in a press release Tuesday morning. "The Trump Administration’s weaponization of ICE and the DOJ is trampling on the U.S. Constitution and creating widespread fear across our community."
The FBI led this morning’s operation, which also involved the U.S. Marshals. Both the USMS's and FBI's media liaisons were unavailable for immediate comment.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
