Two protesters, a photojournalist and a legal observer are suing the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) after police allegedly held them for “hours without food, water, or access to toilets; handcuffed detainees so tightly as to cause injury or loss of feeling; and subjected some detainees to manual rectal probing” at the inauguration of Donald Trump on Jan. 20, the Washington Post reports.
The inauguration of Donald Trump was historic, yet violent to say the least. That day, at least 230 arrests were made, six police officers were injured, and damages caused by the protestors amounted to more than $100,000. Protesters hurled bricks, tossed newspaper racks and sidewalk trash containers into the street and set them on fire.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is now representing the plaintiffs to obtain “compensation for their injuries and to vindicate their rights under the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution, the D.C. First Amendment Assemblies Act and the common law.”
The plaintiffs allege that they were illegally detained, pepper-sprayed and denied access to food and water by officers. The plaintiffs also allege that the they were “subjected to intrusive, humiliating, and unjustified manual rectal probing and grabbing of their testicles.”
Shay Horse, the freelance photojournalist in the suit, said he was wrongfully arrested and insisted that he was on the street with a camera taking pictures. Horse has taken to Twitter and said he’s “speaking out against bullies with badges” and that “we can’t let these cops get away with what happened on #J20.” The protest he is referring to, #J20, was a protest with the deliberate intention of disrupting Trump’s inauguration.
We cant stand by and let abuses like that come to past. If we are on the edge of fascism then moments like these are the times to stand up.
— Shay Horse (@HuntedHorse) June 22, 2017
Judah Ariel, the legal observer in the suit, claims he was “pepper-sprayed without warning and for no apparent reason other than standing near the corner where MPD was detaining demonstrators.” Ariel asserts that he was wearing a bright neon green hat that is commonly worn by legal observers. Although he was pepper-sprayed, he was not arrested.
Protesters Elizabeth Lagesse and Michael ‘Milo’ Gonzalez traveled to Washington, D.C. for the “purpose of expressing her opposition to the policy of the new President.” Gonzalez claims that he was also assisting journalists. Currently, criminal cases against Lagesse and Gonzalez are pending.
Senior attorney for the ACLU of D.C. Scott Michelman, said in a statement that “people from all over the country come to the nation’s capital to exercise their constitutional right to protest. MPD’s wanton and vindictive conduct on January 20 chills free speech, which is a vital part of our democracy.”
Meanwhile, the MPD released a statement in response to the lawsuit filed by the ACLU. “During the 58th Presidential Inauguration, there were thousands of individuals who exercised their constitutional right to peacefully assemble and speak out for their cause. Unfortunately, there was another group of individuals who chose to engage in criminal acts, destroying property and hurling projectiles, injuring at least six officers.”
“These individuals were ultimately arrested for their criminal actions, and the bulk of them are pending prosecution after being indicted by a grand jury. As with any pending criminal or civil matter, we will continue to support and respect the formal legal process. Moreover, all instances of use of force by officers and allegations of misconduct will be fully investigated. MPD remains committed to ensuring the public safety of all residents and visitors of the District of Columbia.”