A federal judge has ordered federal agencies to significantly restrict their use of tear gas and other crowd-control tactics against protesters in Illinois, marking a major limitation on law enforcement as demonstrations continue across the state.
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis of the Northern District of Illinois issued a temporary restraining order preventing federal officers from dispersing crowds in public spaces unless there are urgent or “exigent” circumstances. The judge ruled that officers cannot deploy crowd-control weapons such as tear gas, flash-bang grenades, or less-lethal shotguns unless they determine there is an immediate threat to someone’s physical safety. In addition, the order requires officers to provide at least two verbal warnings before using such measures and to give protesters sufficient time to follow instructions to disperse. Ellis also stated that officers may not shove, push, or tackle demonstrators to the ground unless those individuals pose an immediate threat or officers are making a lawful arrest.
The lawsuit behind the ruling was filed by journalists who claimed they were mistreated by federal officers while covering protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the Chicago area. Justice Department attorneys opposed the decision, arguing that federal officers must be able to make rapid decisions in tense and unpredictable situations. The ruling came during the same week that another federal judge temporarily blocked former President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy the National Guard in Chicago to protect federal facilities from violent protesters, pending further court proceedings.
