A group of racial justice protesters has reached a settlement with the federal government in a lawsuit accusing law enforcement agents sent by President Trump of using excessive force to protect a federal courthouse in 2020. The settlement requires the federal government to compensate the plaintiffs for injuries suffered at the hands of federal agents, as announced by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit included three military veterans, a college professor, several Black Lives Matter activists, and a man who claimed he was grabbed off a street for no reason blocks away from the federal courthouse in Portland.
ACLU of Oregon's legal director, Kelly Simon, expressed pride in representing the courageous clients who suffered serious injuries due to federal law enforcement's aggressive actions. The ACLU of Oregon emphasized the importance of standing up for justice and fairness for all individuals.
In 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, thousands of protesters across the country, including in Portland, demonstrated for months. Federal agents were deployed to Portland to quell the riots, leading to clashes with protesters. The lawsuit alleged that federal agents overstepped their authority, made illegal arrests, and used tear gas, rubber bullets, and pepper spray.
One plaintiff, Navy veteran Christopher David, was captured in a video being struck by an agent with a baton and pepper-sprayed in the face, resulting in two broken bones in his hand. The lawsuit also challenged the authority of then-Acting Director of Homeland Security Chad Wolf to deploy agents to Portland.
A federal investigative report later revealed that the federal agents lacked proper training and equipment and had no plan for handling protests without local police support. Local police and federal agents arrested hundreds of protesters during the demonstrations.
Plaintiff and veteran Nichol Denison expressed shock at the level of force used against nonviolent protesters, including veterans and mothers, stating that the government's treatment violated their military training.
This lawsuit was one of several filed by the ACLU of Oregon against the federal government on behalf of protesters, journalists, and legal observers.
