Hudson Valley Woman Jailed For Attacking Seniors At ICE Protest

A Hudson Valley woman will be spending time behind bars after assaulting protesters during an anti-ICE demonstration.

Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi announced that 53-year-old Annette Strehle, 53, of Pawling, pleaded guilty to attempted assault in the second degree and two counts of criminal mischief in the fourth degree.

Dutchess County Woman Sentenced For Attack On Anti-ICE Protesters

Officials say the guilty plea follows a "violent confrontation involving multiple individuals peacefully exercising their constitutional right to protest" ICE agents in January 2026.

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“Peaceful protest is a fundamental constitutional right, and no one should ever have to fear being assaulted, threatened, or intimidated simply because someone disagrees with their views," Parisi told Hudson Valley Post.

What Happened In Pawling, New York

Officials say that Strehle was involved in a confrontation this past January where she shoved a person down and ripped the glasses from two other people around 1 p.m. on Jan. 10, 2026, in the Town of Pawling in the vicinity of Route 22 and Main Street.

She admitted that she attempted to cause physical injury to a person who was over the age of 65, and she was more than 10 years younger than that person, by forcibly shoving a demonstrator towards the ground, causing them to fall backwards.

She also confessed to causing damage to the senior when she forcibly removed glasses from two demonstrators and crushed in Strehle’s hands.

"What occurred here was not an expression of political disagreement; it was an act of violence against individuals who were lawfully exercising their rights. That distinction matters.” Parisi stated. “Our Constitution protects the right to express opinions, including those we may strongly disagree with. It does not give anyone the right to silence another person through violence. The fact that the victims in this case were all over the age of 65 makes this conduct particularly troubling.”

Sentencing

Strehle was remanded to the Dutchess County Justice and Transitions Center to serve a sentence of 6 months in jail followed by 5 years of probation. She's also been ordered to stay away from her victims.