Portland: Federal Court Extends Restraining Order on Federal Agents

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[American Civil Liberties Union]
ACLU: “Today’s decision affirms that the Trump administration’s abuses continue to need to be reined in. The administration’s attempt to suppress our demands of justice for Black lives and use Portland as a campaign prop miserably backfired.”
Photo: YouTube

A federal court Thursday extended a restraining order on federal agents in Portland.

The order, secured in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, blocks agents with the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Marshals Service from targeting and attacking journalists and legal observers documenting the Portland protests.

U.S. District Judge Michael Simon extended the temporary restraining order, originally set to expire Thursday, through August 20.

“Today’s decision affirms that the Trump administration’s abuses continue to need to be reined in,” said ACLU of Oregon Interim Legal Director Kelly Simon. “The administration’s attempt to suppress our demands of justice for Black lives and use Portland as a campaign prop miserably backfired. Now, our work to hold this administration accountable for its unconstitutional actions continues.”

“Federal agents violently retaliated against people trying to report on and document the protests,” said ACLU of Oregon cooperating attorney Matthew Borden, partner at BraunHagey & Borden LLP. “We’re very glad the court has continued these critical protections for members of the media and legal observers.”

The ACLU earlier this week asked Congress to urge that the Department of Justice appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the potential criminal wrongdoing of federal agents in Portland. The ACLU of Oregon is also asking the court to sanction and hold in contempt federal agents who violated the restraining order.

The ACLU of Oregon also filed suit against federal and local law enforcement for brutally attacking medics providing aid at the protests.

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