Bajun Mavalwalla, Veteran With Family Military Legacy, Arrested After Anti-ICE Protest

India-West News Desk

SPOKANE, WA – Bajun Mavalwalla II, a 35-year-old U.S. Army veteran, was arrested in Spokane, Washington, for participating in an anti-ICE protest in June that authorities say involved damage to a government vehicle. Federal prosecutors charged him in July with “conspiracy to impede or injure officers,” according to The Guardian.

Mavalwalla II is a former sergeant who served in Afghanistan and survived a roadside bomb during a special operations mission. The arrest came more than a month after the June 11 protest, which left a government van’s windshield smashed and tires slashed. He was not arrested at the scene.

Video captured by his father shows Mavalwalla II smiling in apparent disbelief as federal agents handcuffed him at his home at 6 a.m. on the day he was preparing to move into a new house. (video courtesy: The Guardian)

The arrest has sparked concern among activists and local supporters. A statement posted by 50501 Movement Washington State read:

“This is not about public safety. This is about sending a message that if you speak up, if you dissent, if you challenge injustice, the government will come for you. Even if you’ve served. Even if you’ve sacrificed. Even if your father is a veteran too. The Mavalwallas gave this country everything. And now they’re being forced to fight for basic rights and due process.”

Mavalwalla II grew up in a family with deep ties to both India and U.S. military service. His father, Bajun Mavalwalla I, and mother, Ellyn, met in college, enlisted together, and served at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Mavalwalla I served in Afghanistan and Iraq, earning three Bronze Stars, The Guardian reported. The senior Mavalwalla grew up on a farm near Petaluma, California, while Mavalwalla II split his childhood between the farm and Cotati. He graduated high school at 15 and enlisted in the California National Guard at 17, later leading a signal intelligence team in Afghanistan.

After leaving active duty, Mavalwalla II continued service work, helping evacuate more than 30 Afghan allies following the U.S. military withdrawal in 2020. He raised over $150,000 to assist with passports, travel, medical care, and relocation. The family’s history of activism also connects to India; Press Democrat reported that Mavalwalla I once held a shroud linked to Mahatma Gandhi’s family attorney in Durban, highlighting a longstanding tradition of peaceful protest.

Mavalwalla II earned a degree in sustainable communities from Sonoma State University using his GI Bill. At the time of his arrest, he was preparing to move into a 3,000-square-foot home with his girlfriend, Katelyn Gaston, a nurse and fellow Afghanistan veteran. His father had brought a truck and trailer to help with the move when federal agents arrived.

Legal experts and fellow veterans have expressed concern over the case, describing it as an escalation that raises questions about First Amendment rights and the targeting of a combat veteran with a top-secret clearance. The arrest has prompted local attention and a GoFundMe campaign started by Mavalwalla II’s sister, highlighting tensions between his family’s record of service and his current federal charges.