A federal judge in Oregon issued a temporary restraining order Thursday night against federal agents deployed in Portland, prohibiting them from threatening to arrest, arrest, disperse, or use force against journalists and legal observers who are in the protests.
The lawsuit was filed by the ACLU, and the restraining order acts against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the US Marshals Service. Portland police were already prohibited from arresting or attacking journalists and legal observers at protests.
According to the order, issued by Federal District Judge Michael Simon, stationed federal officials also cannot confiscate any photography, audio or video recording equipment, or press passes from journalists and legal observers. Furthermore, journalists and legal observers cannot be compelled to stop recording or photographing a protest.
“This order is a victory for the rule of law,” Jann Carson, acting executive director of the ACLU of Oregon, said in a statement.
“Federal agents from the Trump Departments of Homeland Security and Justice are terrorizing the community, threatening lives and relentlessly attacking journalists and legal observers documenting protests. These are the actions of a tyrant, and they take place nowhere in the United States, “added Carson.
Black Lives Matter protests have filled the streets of downtown Portland since the George Floyd police murder in Minneapolis in late May.
Protests have sometimes damaged federal property, leading to DHS security Chad WolfChad Wolf, Illinois lawmaker says Trump wants to instigate a race war. 14 mayors ask the feds to stop deploying officers to cities in response to the protests. Deploying federal officials to the city in late June in an attempt to safeguard the affected government buildings.
Last week, Wolf called the protesters “violent mafia” and “lawless anarchists,” while President Trump
Donald John TrumpTrump says he would feel comfortable sending his son and grandchildren to school in person. Cafeteria worker on White House grounds tests positive for COVID-19: Reports Republicans will begin revealing the coronavirus package Thursday MORE has used similar descriptions when speaking of protesters across the country
On Friday, reports emerged that unspecified camouflaged federal agents were seizing and arresting protesters. Some reports describe officers placing protesters in unmarked trucks.
The move has sparked outrage from Democrats, local Oregon leaders, advocates and some Republicans.
Trump stepped up federal police involvement in local protests on Monday when he said he would send additional federal agents to other “Democrat” cities, saying that agents in Portland were doing “a fantastic job.”
“I’m going to do something, that, I can tell you,” said Trump. “Because we are not going to let New York and Chicago and Philadelphia and Detroit and Baltimore and all this, Oakland is a disaster.”
Trump announced Wednesday that he would send federal agents to Chicago and Albuquerque, alleging that the cities are riddled with “violent crime.”
However, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) has repeatedly urged the Trump administration not to deploy federal agents, asking the White House to focus on gun control.
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