Nine Spokane Activists Arrested in Connection with June 11 ICE Protests
Early Tuesday morning, federal authorities executed arrest warrants on nine individuals involved in the June 11 protests at Spokane’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office. The arrests, made by U.S. Marshals without Spokane Police involvement, signal a significant escalation in federal action against protest organizers and participants.
Among those arrested were notable community figures:
Jac Archer, Spokane Community Against Racism (SCAR) organizer
Justice Forral, Spokane Human Rights Commission member
Ben Stuckart, former Spokane City Council president
Erin Lang
Mikki Hatfield
Bajun Mavalwalla II
Collin Muncey
Bobbi Silva
Thalia Ramirez
All face charges primarily of Conspiracy to Impede or Injure Officers. In addition, Mikki Hatfield and Bobbi Silva are charged with Assault on a Federal Officer, including allegations involving use of a weapon and physical contact intended to cause felony offenses.
Justice Forral, Ben Stuckart, and Erin Lang were initially arrested during the protests on June 11. Forral was also rearrested during Spokane’s Pride Celebration on June 14. Jac Archer’s arrest, however, marks a significant development as they were not apprehended during the initial protests but have now been charged with federal offenses.
The U.S. Marshals detained the activists at their homes and other locations early Tuesday. Notably, Stuckart was arrested en route to a weekly golf outing, and Lang was taken into custody near a local bakery.
Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall confirmed the department was not involved in the arrests and only learned of them after the fact. The detainees are currently held in the U.S. Marshals lockup within the Federal Building, separate from local jails.
Local defense attorney Jeffry Finer anticipates seven of those arrested will be released soon and expects no additional arrests on more serious charges.
These arrests reflect the federal government’s intensified crackdown on organizers and participants of protests targeting ICE facilities, with charges focusing on obstructing law enforcement and assaulting federal personnel. The U.S. Marshals’ involvement, rather than the Department of Homeland Security, underscores the federal nature of these charges.
The Spokane community and supporters are closely watching these developments as legal proceedings continue.
