The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit Friday against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the US Marshals Service after agents deployed to quell the protests in Portland, Oregon.
The ACLU lawsuit seeks to prevent federal police from dispersing, arresting, threatening to arrest, or using physical force against journalists or legal observers. The group says the move is one of many lawsuits it will file for “unconstitutional attacks” on protesters in the city.
“This is a fight to save our democracy,” said Kelly Simon, acting legal director of the ACLU of Oregon, in a statement. “Under the direction of the Trump administration, federal agents terrorize the community, risk lives, and brutally attack protesters who demonstrate against police brutality.
“These federal agents must be detained and removed from our city,” added Simon. “We will continue to apply all of the ACLU’s firepower until this lawless police action ends.”
Plaintiffs in the case include The Portland Mercury and individual journalists and legal observers who say they were attacked by police. The lawsuit adds federal agencies to an existing complaint filed last month against local police.
“Cowardly attacks on those who report police misconduct around the world have no place in a free society,” said Matthew Borden, partner at Braun Hagey & Borden LLP.
The lawsuit comes after reports emerged Friday morning of federal officials in unmarked military uniforms arresting protesters and driving in unmarked vehicles.
Demonstrations have continued in Portland over the murder of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis in late May. Some protests have caused damage to federal buildings, prompting the administration to send federal officials. Some protesters have also tried to make their own autonomous zone similar to one that lasted weeks in Seattle.
Secretary of Homeland Security Chad WolfChad WolfDHS Head Calls ‘Failed Response’ to ‘Rampant’ Violence in Portland Pence Addresses 16 New Citizens at Pre-Independence Day Naturalization Ceremony Arizona Reports Record Number of New Coronavirus Cases, Deaths MORE In a statement Thursday, he said the protesters were part of a “violent mafia,” although the Thursday night protests were largely peaceful.
The federal response sparked rejection by Democrats, with four Oregon lawmakers asking Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security inspectors general to investigate the presence and practices of federal law enforcement in Portland amid growing protests in the city.
“DHS and DOJ are involved in acts that are horrible and outrageous in our constitutionally democratic republic,” said the senator. Jeff Merkley
Jeffrey (Jeff) Alan MerkleyDHS hits head on ‘failed response’ to ‘rampant’ violence in Portland Biden opens door to support nixing legislative filibuster Hillicon Valley: QAnon scores wins, creating Republican problem | Supreme Court upholds regulation prohibiting automatic calls to cell phones | Foreign Hackers Target Homebound Americans Uber Acquires Postmates MORE (D) said in a statement. “First, they are deploying paramilitary forces without any identification that indicates who they are or who they work for. Secondly, these agents are taking people off the street without underlying justification. Both acts are profound offenses against the Americans. ”
“We demand not only that these acts end, but also that they immediately remove their forces from our state,” he added. “Given the appalling nature of the violations against the Oregonians, we are demanding full investigations by the Inspectors General of these departments.”
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