Oregon protesters allege Springfield Police Department conspired to violate civil rights laws by Tim Gruver, The Center Square | March 11, 2021 09:30 AM Print this article
A lawsuit filed against the Springfield Police Department alleges its officers conspired with local residents to harass and intimidate Black Lives Matter protesters last summer.
The case involves a July 29 protest in Springfield organized by Black Unity, a civil rights and anti-racism group based in Lane County, that was held in response to the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by Minneapolis police on May 25.
The lawsuit, which was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on Monday in the U.S. District Court of Oregon, alleges that Springfield police officers patrolling the protest violated the group s First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
Black Unity files civil rights lawsuit against Springfield police
The lawsuit filed by the Civil Liberties Defense Center alleges Black Unity members were assaulted and arrested during a peaceful march on July 29, 2020, in Springfield.
Posted: Mar 9, 2021 8:55 AM
Posted By: KEZI Staff
EUGENE, Ore. – Black Unity filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Monday against the City of Springfield, Springfield Police Chief Richard Lewis and other members of the Springfield Police Department.
Amber Fossen, Springfield public information officer, said the City of Springfield received a copy of the lawsuit Monday and is reviewing it.
The lawsuit filed by the Civil Liberties Defense Center alleges Black Unity members were assaulted and arrested during a peaceful march on July 29, 2020, in Springfield. They claim their constitutional rights were violated during the march and that two other people were injured while filming the interactions that day.