Tag

#George-Floyd

3 incidents

Civil Rights
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

Portland: Federal Agents in Unmarked Vehicles Abduct Protesters Without Identifying Themselves

Federal agents from CBP, ICE, BORTAC, and other agencies, deployed by Trump to Portland amid George Floyd protests, began conducting clandestine arrests: pulling protesters into unmarked vans without identifying themselves, not stating reasons for arrest, and holding them in undisclosed locations. Trump's acting DHS secretary and senior officials defended the tactics. Oregon's AG filed suit; federal courts issued temporary restraining orders.

Sources
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Portlandfederal-overreachprotestarbitrary-detentionGeorge-Floyd
Civil Rights
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

Lafayette Square: Militarized Crackdown on Peaceful Protesters for a Photo Opportunity

Amid nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd, federal law enforcement — including National Guard units, Secret Service, Park Police, and Bureau of Prisons officers — forcibly dispersed a peaceful crowd in Lafayette Square using pepper balls, chemical irritants, rubber bullets, and mounted police. Minutes later, Trump walked through the cleared square to hold a Bible at St. John's Church in a staged photo.

Sources
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protestpolice-brutalityfirst-amendmentLafayette-SquareGeorge-Floyd
Updated June 10, 2020 Civil Rights
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

George Floyd Protests: Lafayette Square Clearing, Militarized Response, Threat to Invoke Insurrection Act

The clearing of Lafayette Square occurred approximately 30 minutes before the 7:00 PM curfew was to take effect. Independent investigators and journalists documented that the protesters were peaceful at the time of the clearing. The chemical agent used was later identified as a pepper chemical agent (technically not 'tear gas') deployed without warning. Trump had convened a call with governors the same day, calling them 'weak' and urging them to 'dominate' protesters. Attorney General Barr appeared in person to supervise the clearing. The Bible photo-op that followed was condemned by Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde, whose church was used as a prop without her knowledge or consent.

Sources
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George-FloydLafayette-Squareprotestsfirst-termcivil-rights