Members of two organizations that led protests in Portland, Oregon, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for using force to disperse demonstrators over the past few weeks.
Black Lives Matter and Wall of Moms protesters filed the lawsuit on Monday against the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Federal Protective Service for using tear gas, rubber bullets, and other uses of force to clear protesters from the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse.
“[Protesters] have been tear-gassed night after night, left vomiting and unable to eat or sleep because of the toxic poison blasted at them. They have been shot at over and over — with rubber bullets, bean bags, pepper spray, and a range of other projectiles fired at close range and with brutal effect,” the group stated in the lawsuit.
“They have had flash-bang explosive devices detonated right in front of them. They have been forced to speak and assemble in fear of not just bodily harm, but the possibility of sudden arrest without probable cause,” the group said.
The lawsuit alleged that the federal government violated the protesters’ rights to assembly, free speech, and due process, as well as committing unreasonable searches and seizures.
Local police deemed the demonstrations in Portland “riots” because of the continued violence. Several federal officers were injured during the riots.
This lawsuit is one of several that the Trump administration is battling in connection to the Portland protests. State officials have sued the federal government for sending unrequested law enforcement officials into Portland to protect the federal courthouse.
