Judge orders Seattle to stop using tear gas during protests.
SEATTLE -- A U.S. judge on Friday ordered Seattle police to temporarily stop using tear gas, pepper spray and flash-bang devices to break up largely peaceful protests, a victory for groups who say authorities have overreacted to recent demonstrations over police brutality and racial injustice.
Last weekend, officers used tear gas, pepper spray and other force against crowds of protesters. Jones' order halts those tactics for two weeks, though demonstrations this week have been calm. “Because they are indiscriminate, they may even spill into bystanders’ homes or offices as they have done before,” Jones wrote.
This week, demonstrators have turned part of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood into a protest center with speakers, drum circles and Black Lives Matter painted on a street near a police station. Police largely left the station after the chaos last weekend, when officers tear-gassed protesters and some demonstrators threw objects at them. Police sprayed tear gas just two days after the mayor and police chief said they were temporarily halting its use.
Michele Storms, executive director of the ACLU of Washington, said the group was pleased with the judge's ruling. “As tens of thousands of people were gathering today to march silently and in solidarity against police brutality and misconduct, the U.S. District Court affirmed their right to protest, free from state violence. That is a victory for today," the group said in a statement.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Judge OKs stock sale for bankrupt Hertz: reportA bankruptcy court is allowing Hertz Global Holdings Inc. undefined to sell new stock in public markets, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal...
Read more »
Bankrupt Hertz Can Sell New Stock in Public Markets, Judge SaysA bankruptcy judge allowed Hertz to raise new equity from a counterintuitive stock rally while under severe financial strain, a seemingly unprecedented move from a large bankrupt company eager to capitalize on market anomalies.
Read more »
Bankrupt Hertz can sell $1 billion in new stock, judge rules - Business InsiderBusiness Insider is a fast-growing business site with deep financial, media, tech, and other industry verticals. Launched in 2007, the site is now the largest business news site on the web.
Read more »
Appeals Court Appears Skeptical Of Flynn's Bid To Force Judge To Dismiss CaseA federal appeals court seemed skeptical Friday of former national security adviser Michael Flynn's bid to force a judge to dismiss his case, after the Justice Department sought to abandon his prosecution.
Read more »
Opinion | It’s Time to Judge Cops by Their ActionsOpinion: State laws give police officers too much leeway to act based on their fears or beliefs. We can increase accountability by changing the law to focus on their actions instead
Read more »
Appeals Court To Hear Flynn's Bid To Force Judge To Drop Case Against HimThe Justice Department has dropped its case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn, but U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan has not yet granted the government's motion to dismiss.
Read more »