• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, 9 hours ago

Chicago news groups are calling time out on what they say is “a pattern of extreme brutality” directed by federal agents against the press and protesters exercising their First Amendment rights.  

The groups, including the Illinois Press Association, Chicago Newspaper Guild, and Chicago Headline Club have filed suit against Kristi Noem, Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the department itself, Attorney General Pamela Bondi and President Donald Trump, among others. 

“This lawsuit concerns the right of the demonstrator Plaintiffs to exercise their First Amendment rights to peacefully protest and to exercise their religion in the area around the ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois," the complaint states.

The complaint charges that the government entities are trying to trample on free expression.  

“Dressed in full combat gear, often masked, carrying weapons, bearing flash grenades and tear gas canisters, and marching in formation, federal agents have repeatedly advanced upon those present at the scene who posed no imminent threat to law enforcement," it says. "Snipers with guns loaded with pepper balls, paintballs, and rubber bullets are stationed on the roof of the Broadview ICE facility with their weapons trained on the press and civilians. Federal agents have tackled and slammed people to the ground; they have lobbed flash grenades and tear gas canisters indiscriminately into the crowd; they have fired rubber bullets and pepper balls at selected individuals; and they have cursed and shouted at demonstrators to provoke them.” 

The complaint continues: “No legitimate purpose exists for this brutality or for these arrests. The officers are not physically threatened. No government property is threatened. Defendants are acting to intimidate and silence the press and civilians engaged in protected First Amendment activities.”

The government side will doubtless claim, if it has not already, that these protesters are violent and part of the fringe left. The case still must be litigated. and the facts determined.  

The plaintiffs seek declarations that the federal government is unlawfully seeking to abridge their rights, as well as injunctions against the defendants from engaging in the alleged actions.

This is not the first attempt by journalistic groups to fight the intimidation of reporters. 

In June, the Los Angeles Press Club sued the city of Los Angeles and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell for allegedly using excessive force against journalists during recent anti-ICE protests, claiming: “Being a journalist in Los Angeles is now a dangerous profession.” 

Around the same time, a suit was filed against Noem and the Department named as defendants Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security and the department, challenging actions to control anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. The plaintiffs included the Los Angeles Press Club, NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America and journalists Sean Beckner-Carmitchel, Ryanne Mena, Lexis-Olivier Ray, Charles Xu, Benjamin Adam Climer, and Abigail Olmeda.

The Illinois case is on file with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District Of Illinois, Eastern Division.