Will County Gazette

Republican activist Emily Cahill says she has endured more than three years of relentless harassment from David Anzelc, an alleged Antifa-linked agitator now facing multiple emergency orders of protection in Will County. 

Anzelc, who has had prior encounters with law enforcement and mental health authorities, was reported to authorities by his mother, who expressed concern that his behavior could escalate into a “mass incident.”

Cahill, a community organizer and outspoken supporter of law enforcement, said Anzelc’s campaign of intimidation—along with harassment from Antifa affiliates—has posed a serious threat to her safety, family, and community.

Image of flyers that David Anzelc posted around Cahill’s neighborhood and at her daughter’s school, which included Cahill’s address and cell phone number. | Emily Cahill

“I've been dealing with harassment from this kid for three years now,” Cahill told the Will County Gazette. “He followed me to multiple stores and put up flyers, which I have, I think, about half a dozen of them that I've recovered. The police actually took some down. And he put them right back up and then posted about it.” 

Cahill recounted numerous incidents of being followed, stalked and targeted at home and during public events. 

“He and his friends have admitted to driving by my house multiple times and following me to places,” she said. “I live across the way from Riverview Park—and it's a bike path. It's about a mile long. He put up those flyers on the signs along the bike path to the point that the city removed one of the signs and then got all the stuff off the other one.”

According to Cahill, the harassment escalated when Anzelc plastered roughly 80 flyers around her home and near her daughter’s school. 

Cahill said the flyers contained defamatory content, including accusations and imagery that contributed to her withdrawing her daughter from school.

“I actually pulled her — I now homeschool her,” Cahill shared. “And then he sent me messages about doing it. I've had multiple police investigating, now it seems to be closed before anything becomes of it, so I was really happy when (another local activist) was actually able to nail exactly who it was.” 

One of Anzelc’s former friends, who came forward during the investigation, offered a chilling glimpse into his erratic behavior — a concern Cahill said is shared by those closest to him.

“All of his friends think he's crazy,” Cahill said. 

Anzelc’s family has expressed similar concerns. 

In 2023, both his mother and father filed protection orders, citing suicidal behavior, violent outbursts and fears of engaging in violence against others. 

Cahill said those developments validated her fears.

“It was very stressful,” Cahill said. “It still kind of is, because (Anzelc) hasn't been served the order of protection yet. But I know, with me having the document, if I see him, I can call the police, and they will come out wherever he is and serve him.”

Despite multiple police reports in Joliet, Will County and Plainfield, Cahill said the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office told her there was nothing criminal they could pursue — a response that left her frustrated and afraid.

“It’s very stressful to say the least, especially since I go out to events and stuff like that,” she said. “I always have my head on a swivel. I started taking combat Aikido courses so then I could defend myself and my 16-year-old.”

Cahill attributes the targeting to her activism, including standing with police, organizing protests and promoting conservative politics in left-leaning spaces.

“It’s because I usually go and I counter protest Antifa and support law enforcement,” she said. “Anytime that there’s a protest against law enforcement, I show up with my sign that says ‘Back the Blue’ and I stand there.” 

Cahill said the harassment began after she joined a counter protest in August 2020. 

An iconic image captured Cahill standing between a line of police officers and a group of leftist and Antifa activists marching to demand the removal of police from Chicago Public Schools. 

The demonstration, which drew over 400 protesters, began outside Whitney Young High School and ended in a tense standoff with police near the Fraternal Order of Police lodge.

Emily Cahill counter protesting leftist and Antifa protests at Whitney M. Young High School. (Facebook / Emily Cahill) 

Cahill said she supports the right to protest regardless of political belief.

“I think everybody has the right to protest as long as it's peaceful,” Cahill said. “As we've seen in 2020, they got violent, and I do not agree with that. But I agree with people voicing their opinions, especially towards politicians and the government. It doesn't matter which side of the spectrum you're on—just keep it peaceful.” 

However, Antifa’s involvement in the violent and destructive BLM riots in Chicago in 2020 is noted.

Widespread rioting from late May to August 2020, resulted in over 1,100 arrests and significant property damage. More than 2,100 buildings were damaged or looted, with 71 set on fire causing over $66 million in damages and 15 deaths.

She says the continued harassment was aimed at silencing her — and nearly succeeded.

“They want me to be silent, and that's why they continue to do stuff like that, thinking it will scare me into silence,” Cahill said.

However, Cahill remains committed to expanding her political activism despite the risks. Cahill currently serves as treasurer of the Will County Young Republicans, an appointed precinct committeewoman in Plainfield, and membership coordinator for the Illinois Young Republicans. 

She has helped launch several new chapters in recent months, working to engage young voters in conservative politics. 

Still, Cahill said the harassment has had negative effects. 

“I was worried about other people's safety—not including mine, but mainly other people’s safety—especially since (Anzelc) wanted to commit a mass incident,” she said. “So that really scared me.”

As for Anzelc, the emergency order of protection against him will be revisited in court on May 28, where Cahill hopes to see it extended for two years — and for some sense of safety to finally return. Cahill suspects Anzelc’s behavior is part of a broader network of intimidation targeting conservative activists, pointing to alleged connections between Anzelc and other left-wing figures in Chicago.

“One of his friends said his Chicago friends came down to visit — that was the same time they put stuff up around the Joliet Mall,” Cahill noted. “I think there’s a connection there. I don’t have screenshots more than them talking to Jeff Tischauser online, but there’s definitely something there.” 

Tischauser, a Chicago-based senior research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), is known for targeting conservative parent activists and has been accused of working closely with left-wing groups and Democrat operatives to suppress opposition through social and governmental channels. His involvement highlights broader concerns about coordinated efforts by Antifa-aligned activists like Anzelc and affiliated organizations to intimidate and silence conservative voices, a pattern that appears connected to the harassment Cahill and others have endured.

Cahill’s hope is that public exposure and legal accountability for Anzelc will not only bring her peace, but serve as a deterrent.

“Now that (Anzelc’s) identity is out there, he’s not going to want to do it to people because he doesn’t want to get sued,” Cahill said. “He doesn’t want his parents involved, you know, so I’m hoping something becomes of that and then maybe other people won’t do it either because they see, okay, well, this doesn’t end very well.”