PORTLAND, Ore. (AURN News) — A federal court has stepped in after violent scenes outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Portland sparked national outrage.
U.S. District Judge Michael Simon has imposed a 14-day ban on the use of tear gas and impact projectiles near the building where demonstrators have been protesting Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies.
The ruling follows reports that federal agents fired chemical munitions into largely peaceful crowds. One projectile struck an elderly woman in the head, while others injured members of the press.
Simon said the restriction is intended to protect constitutional rights and safeguard the public from unnecessary government force.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson praised the decision, accusing federal agents of unleashing heavy waves of chemical weapons on unarmed citizens.
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet responded to the ruling but has previously maintained that its officers act within the law to keep order.
However, residents and viral videos circulating online appear to tell a different story.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
