Trial Begins Monday For 5 Brannigan Protesters

PALOS HILLS, IL — Palos Township Sharon Brannigan's case against five community activists who were arrested last summer on criminal trespass charges after they allegedly disrupted a township board meeting is expected to go trial Monday. Brannigan has been under fire for anti-Muslim remarks she made on social media in 2017. Community activists and residents have brought the Palos Township Board's monthly meetings to a halt since then, demanding Brannigan's resignation.

Facing misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass to government support land are
Muhammad Sakari, 31, and Husam Marajda, 28, both of Chicago, Samar Alhato, 22, of Worth, along with Bassem S. Karver, 30, of Tinley Park, and Tammy J. Georgiou, 50, of Palos Hills.

Brannigan, a one-time Illinois 3rd Congressional GOP candidate, has served as an elected Palos Township trustee since 2013.

She is accused of making Facebook posts in 2017 on her official Palos Township trustee page complaining about "undocumented Middle Eastern students" filling Palos's public schools. She also praised the women in President Donald Trump's family for eschewing the traditional hijab during a visit to the Middle East in May 2017 and representing American women with dignity. Brannigan later apologized for her "poorly crafted words."

>>> 5 Brannigan Protesters Arrested At Palos Township Board Meeting

On June 10, 2019 five activists from #ResignBrannigan were handcuffed and arrested during a township board meeting. Palos Hills police acknowledged that township officials hired a private security firm. According to the activists, they were voluntarily leaving the meeting when the private security guards pointed them out to Palos Hills police who handcuffed and dragged them out of the meeting.

"Brannigan's resignation is our number one demand. Now, we believe [the Palos Township trustees] are just as guilty for allowing her to stay and spew her racist rhetoric," Arab American Action Network director Hatem Abudayyeh said after the arrests. "We've seen across the country and the world people getting attacked and killed in black churches, synagogues and mosques because of language like Sharon Brannigan's."

Brannigan's signature appears on the five misdemeanor complaints against the #ResignBrannigan activists whom she accused of being "professional outside agitators" because they "live out of district."

>>> Brannigan Blames 'Professional, Outside Agitators' For Protests

"Our residents have seen their rights trampled and abused by the uncompromising and intolerant outside professional agitators," Brannigan said in a written statement in June 2019. "More and more residents have said they wanted something done and that they are concerned about the violent rhetoric of the protesters who have gone way beyond acceptable public conduct to bully anyone who disagrees with them ... they have bullied and shouted down people who disagree with their views and [it's] about time this kind of disrespectful hate-driven angry protests be held to account."

The trial will be held Monday afternoon in Room 105 in the Bridgeview Courthouse.