Chicago pastor injured by chemical projectiles files lawsuit with ACLU.
A Presbyterian minister involved in a protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has filed a lawsuit against the federal government, asserting that officials used excessive force and violated the right to free speech. Rev. David Black of the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago is one of the plaintiffs in a comprehensive 52-page lawsuit submitted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
The lawsuit also includes individual journalists, clergy members, journalism organizations, and other protesters who have reported encountering rubber bullets and tear gas during what they claim were unjustified attacks by ICE agents. The actions of these agents have sparked widespread concern over their impact on First Amendment rights.
The incident in question escalated on September 19, when video footage captured Rev. Black, dressed in clerical attire, praying outside the Broadview immigrant detention center. With his arms raised, he addressed three individuals in military gear stationed on the facility’s rooftop, attempting to engage them in prayer and reflection. However, the agents responded with the deployment of projectiles and chemical weapons, striking Black seven times across his body—a situation he described as a sudden and unprovoked assault.
In a grim testament to the chaotic environment, Black recounted that, as he received aid from fellow demonstrators to alleviate the effects of the chemical irritants, he could hear agents laughing in the background, further intensifying the distress of the event. The ACLU has called for an emergency restraining order aimed at halting what they label illegal suppression of free speech, highlighting the long history of peaceful protests at the Broadview facility that have now been met with militarized responses from federal officers.
The ACLU has accused the Trump administration of escalating tactics of violence aimed at undermining constitutional protections, utilizing near-lethal weapons such as tear gas, rubber bullets, and pepper balls against demonstrators. They assert that, for the first time in modern history, the federal government is encroaching upon state-level policing powers to implement violent measures against citizens exercising their rights.
In the midst of these tensions, troops from the Texas National Guard have been deployed to assist in stabilizing the situation in Chicago, further underscoring the seriousness of the unfolding conflict between authorities and those advocating for immigrant rights. The case continues to garner attention as debates around law enforcement methods and civil liberties remain at the forefront of national discourse.
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