ST. FRANCIS, Wis. — For a second day, hundreds of people gathered — this time outside the FBI headquarters in Saint Francis — demanding that prosecutors drop the charges against Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan.
“She did something brave. It was nice to have somebody be a model citizen about how other people need to be treated,” said protester Kate Pociask.
Federal agents arrested Dugan on Friday at the Milwaukee County Courthouse after she allegedly interfered with a federal immigration arrest operation.
She appeared in U.S. District Court, where prosecutors charged her with obstructing or impeding a proceeding before a department or agency and concealing an individual to prevent their discovery and arrest, according to a criminal complaint.
The FBI posted a photo Friday night on X, shared by Director Kash Patel, showing Dugan in handcuffs outside the courthouse. In another now-deleted post, Patel said agents “believe Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse.”
The criminal complaint outlines plans to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who prosecutors said faced battery and abuse charges following an altercation with his roommates in Milwaukee. Prosecutors also allege Flores-Ruiz is in the country illegally.
Some protesters, including Joe Gemignani of Cedarburg, said the arrest raised broader concerns about the current administration.
"I was not surprised. It's consistent with the behavior of this administration, and I think it has to stop," Gemignani said.
Demonstrators carried signs and chanted messages directed at the FBI, the Department of Justice, and former President Donald Trump, calling for prosecutors to drop the charges and end federal actions.
Pociask said she attended the rally "to show Milwaukee doesn't get pushed around."
Check out: 'Drop the charges': Protesters rally outside Milwaukee FBI Field Office for Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan
State leaders, including Rep. Darrin Madison of the 10th Assembly District, also criticized the situation.
"I've known Judge Dugan for a long time, from when I was a young organizer," Madison said. "Judge Dugan was responsible for ensuring people had due process — for her not to get hers?"
Other local and state leaders, including Rep. Ryan Clancy and Milwaukee County Supervisor Justin Bielinski, also spoke in support of Dugan at the rally.
“Our courthouses, just like classrooms and operating rooms, have been sacred spaces,” Clancy said. “When we discourage people from being in those safe spaces, we make a mockery of the justice system.”
Protesters said they want their voices to reach beyond Wisconsin.
"Hopefully news of what happened here makes it back to Washington," Pociask said. “If not, maybe 200 consecutive days of marching for this too."
Court records show Dugan has been released from federal custody and is scheduled to appear in court again on May 15 at 9 a.m.
A spokesperson for Dugan released a statement Friday evening on her behalf, saying, “Judge Hannah C. Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law and the principles of due process for her entire career as a lawyer and a judge. She has retained former United States Attorney Steven Biskupic to represent her. Judge Dugan will defend herself vigorously and looks forward to being exonerated.”
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