D.C. Shadow Sen. Michael D. Brown (D), Jack E. Evans (not the D.C. Council member), D.C. Vote public affairs director Eugene DeWitt Kinlow, Deangelo B. Scott, Lawrence Harris, Anise Jenkins, Adam Maier and Robert V. Brannum face misdemeanor charges, the Huffington Post reports.

Seven of the activists were among the 41 people arrested for blocking traffic at an April 11 rally protesting a federal spending deal.

Brown was arrested April 15 at another D.C. statehood protest.

Charges against the activists are failure to obey a lawful order and blocking passage, a second charge that was added when this group of eight chose to go to trial instead of paying a fine.

HuffPo reports that the eight will challenge the charges using a First Amendment defense.

If found guilty, they could face a $2,000 fine with up to 90 days in jail.

Read this article online at The Washington Post.