Media Advisory
April 9, 2026
Details
Who: Ted Frank, Director of Litigation and Senior Attorney, Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute
What: Ted Frank will present oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in an appeal seeking to revive a $36 million class action lawsuit arising from the April 2024 blockade of the highway leading into Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
A federal district court dismissed the case in 2025. HLLI is asking the Seventh Circuit to allow the lawsuit to proceed.
Manhart v. National Students for Justice in Palestine, et al.
Ted Frank will be available for interviews after the argument.
Where: Chicago, Illinois
Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse
219 South Dearborn Street, 27th floor courtroom
When: April 9, 2026, 9:30 a.m.
To be broadcast live on the Seventh Circuit’s YouTube channel
Contact:
Ted Frank, Director of Litigation and Senior Attorney
(703) 203-3848, ted.frank@hlli.org
Case Background:
In April 2024, anti-Israel activists blocked the highway leading into O’Hare International Airport, leaving drivers stranded in traffic for hours.
HLLI filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of motorists seeking $36 million in damages and arguing that organizers can face civil liability for protest tactics that intentionally block public infrastructure.
The appeal asks whether protest organizers and supporting organizations can be held liable for harm caused when demonstrations shut down major transportation routes.
Manhart v. National Students for Justice in Palestine, et al.