Charges of obstructing persons in a highway for about 75 students involved in the April 13 Day of Action II sit-in protest on Lincoln Highway will be reviewed at a hearing Friday.

The hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. at the DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 S. Fourth Street.

Don Henderson, director of Students’ Legal Assistance and defense attorney for some of the 75 students, said the hearing will be a status review of the non-moving traffic violation. He said obstructing persons in a highway is a petty charge, with maximum fines of up to $500.

In addition, Henderson said the defense also will learn whether or not the state has decided to appeal Circuit Court Associate Judge Douglas Engel’s dismissal of a charge of resisting a peace officer.

Engel granted the dismissal of the charge Oct. 25 because in order to constitute resisting a peace officer an actual physical act is required, according to a letter written by Engel to the state and the defense attorneys.

At a June 14 hearing, charges of mob action were dropped by Engel.

Day of Action II was a statewide protest against budget cuts to higher education.