A group of Chicago journalists and advocacy groups on Monday sued the Trump administration, arguing that federal agents used “extreme brutality” at local protests to silence the press and prevent civilians from exercising their First Amendment rights.
“Never in modern times has the federal government undermined bedrock constitutional protections on this scale or usurped states’ police power by directing federal agents to carry out an illegal mission against the people for the government’s own benefit,” the lawsuit reads.
The suit was filed by Block Club Chicago, the Chicago Headline Club and local labor unions representing Chicago-area journalists. A number of individual journalists and protestors also signed onto the legal action.
The 52-page lawsuit alleges that federal law enforcement violated the First Amendment rights of civilians and members of the media when it acted to “intimidate and silence” those who did not pose an imminent threat to law enforcement at protests.
At least six journalists were hit with pepper balls or tear gas despite wearing visible press credentials, according to the suit.
“The federal officers’ brutality is not a response to the violation of any previously given order to disperse or to desist,” the lawsuit states. “Rather, the brutality described in the prior paragraphs is deployed solely to silence dissent, to intimidate, and to instill fear.”
Videos of escalating protests were shared across social media over the weekend showing federal agents firing pepper bombs and tear gas at protesters.
Separately, the village of Broadview, Illinois, has launched a criminal investigation into reports that a CBS News Chicago reporter had a pepper bomb fired into her vehicle by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Saturday, burning her in the face and suffocating her with chemicals.
The reporter, Asal Rezaei, said she was alone at the time and there were no active protests in her vicinity.
In a statement, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said federal law-enforcement officers had been “attacked and assaulted by left wing rioters” during the protests, and that officers “took appropriate action” to protect themselves and federal facilities.
“Individuals are free to peacefully protest, but they cannot violently riot or attack law enforcement without consequence,” she said.
On Tuesday, Chicago officials confirmed that almost 30 local police officers were “affected” by pepper spray deployed by federal agents. The tear gas was deployed after the federal agents shot a woman, Marimar Martinez, who they allege attempted to drive her car into a Border Patrol vehicle.
Body-camera footage reviewed Tuesday contradicts the government’s allegations, as it shows an agent turning a federal vehicle into Martinez’s vehicle, after which an agent says, “Do something, b----.” The agent then exits the vehicle and shoots at Martinez, leaving “seven holes” in her, according to her attorney at her detention hearing.
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to NOTUS’ request for comment, but in a statement to Politico, the department’s assistant secretary for public affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, said the First Amendment protects “speech and peaceful assembly — not rioting.”
“We remind members of the media to exercise caution as they cover these violent riots and remind journalists that covering unlawful activities in the field does come with risks — though our officers take every reasonable precaution to mitigate those dangers to those exercising protected First Amendment rights,” she continued.