Oregon Sues to Block Federal Arrests of Portland Protesters

Oregon Sues to Block Federal Arrests of Portland Protesters
Federal officers use tear gas and other crowd dispersal munitions on violent demonstrators in Portland, Ore., on July 17, 2020. Mason Trinca/Getty Images
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Oregon has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Marshals Service, and other federal agencies, alleging that their officers have violated the civil rights of Oregonians by detaining them without probable cause.

Ellen Rosenblum, the state’s attorney general, filed the lawsuit on July 17, saying she was concerned about the federal law enforcement tactics being employed. Some of the tactics the lawsuit alleges have happened include detaining protesters on the streets of Portland and placing them in unmarked vehicles without arresting them or stating the basis for an arrest.