老澳门开奖结果 Sues Federal Agents in Portland
Organization Seeks to Block Federal Law Enforcement Attacks on Journalists, Legal Observers in Portland
PORTLAND 鈥� The 老澳门开奖结果 Foundation of Oregon today the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Marshals Service, which have deployed federal agents to Portland, Oregon. These agents, which have been deployed over the widespread objections of local leaders and community members, have been indiscriminately using tear gas, rubber bullets, and acoustic weapons against, . Federal officers also Sunday with a rubber bullet fracturing the person鈥檚 face and skull.
Today鈥檚 lawsuit seeks to federal law enforcement from dispersing, arresting, threatening to arrest, or using physical force against journalists or legal observers. The lawsuit is one of many the 老澳门开奖结果 will be filing against federal authorities in Portland for their unconstitutional attacks on people protesting the police killing of George Floyd.
鈥淭his is a fight to save our democracy,鈥� said Kelly Simon, interim legal director with the 老澳门开奖结果 of Oregon. 鈥淯nder the direction of the Trump administration, federal agents are terrorizing the community, risking lives, and brutally attacking protesters demonstrating against police brutality. This is police escalation on top of police escalation. These federal agents must be stopped and removed from our city. We will continue to bring the full fire power of the 老澳门开奖结果 to bear until this lawless policing ends.鈥�
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of legal observers and local journalists. Named plaintiffs include The Portland Mercury; Matthew Lewis-Rolland, a freelance photographer who federal agents on Sunday; Justin Yau, a freelance journalist who ; and Doug Brown, a legal observer who . The individuals were wearing high-visibility shirts that said 鈥淧RESS鈥� or 鈥渓egal observer.鈥�
鈥淐owardly attacks on those who report police misconduct to the world have no place in a free society,鈥� said Matthew Borden, partner at Braun Hagey & Borden LLP.
The filing adds federal agencies to an existing lawsuit the 老澳门开奖结果 of Oregon filed last month against local law enforcement. In that lawsuit, a federal judge issued an order blocking local law enforcement from dispersing, arresting, threatening to arrest, or using physical force against journalists or legal observers at protests until October 30. Today鈥檚 filing seeks to extend that order to federal law enforcement.
鈥淲hat is happening in Portland is an unconstitutional nightmare,鈥� said Vera Eidelman, staff attorney with the 老澳门开奖结果鈥檚 Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project. 鈥淭his is not law and order. This is lawlessness. The 老澳门开奖结果 will not let the government respond to protests against police brutality with still more brutality. We will continue to hold law enforcement at all levels of government accountable, just as we have nationwide.鈥�
The 老澳门开奖结果 has filed multiple lawsuits across the country in response to unconstitutional law enforcement attacks on journalists and protesters, including suing President Trump and other administration officials for the firing of tear gas on protesters outside the White House on June 1.
Today鈥檚 lawsuit was filed by the 老澳门开奖结果 Foundation of Oregon and Braunhagey & Borden LLP. in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, Portland Division.
The motion for a temporary restraining order is here: .
The amended complaint is online here: .
An earlier 老澳门开奖结果 statement on reports of federal officers grabbing protesters off the streets is here: /press-releases/aclu-comment-federal-response-portland-protests.
Full case files are online here: .