NEW YORK (AP) — Congressional candidate Brad Lander on Wednesday got the day in court that he demanded after a misdemeanor charge was lodged against him last summer after he was arrested while protesting with other elected officials outside an immigration holding facility in New York City.
The Democrat testified in Manhattan federal court in his own defense that he did not try to block an elevator by sitting near it during the protest on the 10th floor of a federal building in lower Manhattan that houses 40 federal agencies, including the FBI.
A magistrate judge who heard the one-day trial without a jury said he'll rule Thursday morning.
A prosecutor said Lander was guilty of the charge because he was in front of an elevator whose doors never opened during the 20 to 25 minutes he was seated on the floor in a circle with the other politicians. Prosecutors have said they will not seek jail time if Lander is convicted.
Lander, formerly the city's comptroller and an ally of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, testified that nobody told him to step away from the elevator or said he was obstructing it before his arrest.
“We were chanting: ‘We shall not be moved,’” he said. “The idea is to say: ‘We’re here for our immigrant neighbors and we’re not going to stop showing up and defending their rights.’”
Lander is challenging U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman for a liberal district covering lower Manhattan and parts of brownstone Brooklyn.
Lander, who ran for mayor last year, was arrested with 10 other lawmakers Sept. 18 after they tried to inspect holding rooms at 26 Federal Plaza, which also houses an immigration court.
Weeks afterward, he rejected a deal that would have made the misdemeanor obstruction charge go away in six months.
After his arrest, Lander was singled out by then-Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement after his arrest. She called him “another sanctuary politician pulling a stunt in attempt to get their 15 minutes of fame while endangering DHS personnel and detainees.”
Congressional candidate Brad Lander, a Democrat, stands outside Manhattan federal court on June 10, 2026, after testifying that he wasn't acting illegally when he was arrested at a protest against immigration detentions last September. (AP Photo/Larry Neumeister)
President Donald Trump's planned UFC fight on the White House's South Lawn has required a monumental effort from more than seven federal agencies, hundreds of staff working onsite daily and at least $60 million, according to a legal filing that offers a glimpse into the preparations.
The event is part of the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, and is scheduled for the weekend with the main attraction — seven mixed martial arts matches — on Sunday.
That is, if a judge doesn't halt the proceedings, which is sought by two Virginia residents in a federal lawsuit against the National Park Service, which oversees the South Lawn.
The agency filed a rebuff of the request Tuesday in court, and, in it, laid out the operations for the event.
“Well over $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor have been expended,” the document read, adding that the money came from the UFC and groups affiliated with it.
It's the eight-sided cage that surrounds the sometimes bloodied combatants and sits at the center of the constructed arena on the South Lawn.
The arena is expected to hold 4,000 spectators, with another 120,000 visitors — who swung tickets from an online lottery — anticipated to watch from the nearby Ellipse.
The installation began May 20, and the Secret Service worked with the UFC to screen between 20 and 30 trucks of equipment — as well as between “700 and 900” staff — that came in daily for the installation.
The document did not specify the extent of government resources spent on the project, but said seven agencies, including Homeland Security and the Federal Aviation Administration, have “allocated significant resources and manpower."
It’ll kick off Saturday with a ceremonial weigh-in at the Ellipse, followed by a concert by country musicians The Zac Brown Band.
A UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest will be ongoing through the weekend, with “interactive experiences,” live shows, celebrity appearances, “exclusive on-stage moments,” meet and greets, live music and interviews with the athletes.
Sunday night is when the seven bouts kick off. At the close, Trump is scheduled to fly to France for the G7 summit.
Disassembly of the installations will begin the next day, and they are expected to be entirely removed by June 23.
There are 14 athletes competing, and their training is rigorous.
Preparations start months in advance, working toward more intense weight cutting and diet alteration in the final week that can include fasting, extreme sauna use and hot Epsom salt baths.
They could be shaving as many as 20 pounds before weigh-ins, which are designed to keep the competition fair between similarly weighted combatants.
It was filed Saturday by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of the two Virginia residents and argues that Trump’s authorization of the event violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands.
One of the attorneys, Brendan Ballou, characterized it as a “corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain."
The National Park Service pushed back on that claim, but also detailed the event's preparations to make a point.
“All these hopes could be dashed at the very last moment," it read, "by the whim of two people who believe they have superior taste and want to spoil the event for everyone else.”
Workers continue building the cage for a future UFC fight on the South Lawn in front of the White House, Friday, June 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Workers continue building the stage for a future UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
