A McHenry County Republican congressional candidate gave a “cruel” prank gift bag to her opponent, Kat Abughazaleh, who is facing federal charges for her actions during a protest at an ICE facility.
The bizarre incident happened during a meet and greet with over a dozen candidates running for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, which covers parts of Lake, McHenry and Cook counties.
Candidates for the Illinois State Senate’s 9th District and the Illinois’ 17th Congressional District also attended.
The event was held at Tikvah Center for Jewish Recovery and Healing in Northbrook on Sunday afternoon.
A viral video published online showed 9th District Republican candidate Rocio Cleveland, from Island Lake, giving a “care” bag to 9th District Democrat candidate Kat Abughazaleh.
A toothbrush, cat food, ramen, soap and a bottle of holy water were among the items in the bag.
Cleveland told Abughazaleh she was “so sorry about you being indicted” and would need the toothbrush once she was in prison “to protect yourself.”
“I’m hoping and praying it’s not Joliet [prison],” Cleveland said in the video.
“Do you want the holy water? I think you need it. I think you need it because it just seems like you’re possessed. You are possessed,” Cleveland said.
Abughazaleh initially held the bag but handed it back to Cleveland, who said, “I’ll be praying for you,” as she walked away moments later.
“It’s so cruel,” Abughazaleh was heard saying in the video after Cleveland walked away.
Abughazaleh, 26, of Chicago, was among six charged in U.S. District Court in Chicago late last month for allegedly forcibly impeding and interfering with federal agents engaged in immigration enforcement operations.
Prosecutors said the six defendants were among a crowd of people who surrounded a government vehicle driven by a federal agent in an attempt to block them from proceeding to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview on September 26.
The defendants and others allegedly crowded together in the front and side of the government vehicle, stood in its path, banged on the car and windows and pushed against it to hinder and impede its movement, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the conspirators broke one of the vehicle’s side mirrors and the rear windshield wiper and etched a derogatory message into the body of the vehicle.
Cleveland called Abughazaleh “Kitty KAT” in a social media post and said Abughazaleh started “self soothing by knitting and crying minutes later” after she confronted her.
“I never go down without a really good fight. On to the next delusional radical!” Cleveland said.