Over the weekend, hundreds of demonstrators from all walks of life returned to the Broadview Detention Center to protest the Trump administration’s attacks on immigrant communities. During the demonstrations, 24 people were taken into police custody. Members of the Chicago chapter of the National Lawyer’s Guild (NLG Chicago) tracked and visited demonstrators taken into police custody and are now working to ensure those charged have legal representation in the courts. Everyone arrested while protesting at the Broadview Detention Center this weekend has been released.
While the use of force to shut down First Amendment-protected activity has been a repeated occurrence since protests at the Detention Center took off in September, it is notable that the officers who brutalized protesters this weekend were not federal agents but Illinois State Police. NLG Chicago is alarmed to see Illinois State Police, Cook County Sheriff’s Officers, Illinois Department of Corrections tactical teams and the Broadview Police Department being used to quash dissent of the Trump administration’s draconian actions.
On Saturday, NLG Legal Observers witnessed State Police give conflicting and confusing instructions to demonstrators. State police officers in riot gear were observed clubbing demonstrators with long wooden batons, throwing people to the ground and in one instance, dragging a woman across a concrete barrier and through the street. On Saturday evening, State Police also threatened to use chemical agents to disperse the protest. Numerous demonstrators reported injuries including bruises, cuts and concussions. Injured demonstrators included elderly and disabled people. Legal Observers witnessed multiple instances where people with disabilities were prevented from accessing mobility equipment.
Multiple NLG Legal Observers were also hit in the heads with large clubs. While we condemn all police violence, we are particularly disturbed that police used physical force against Legal Observers who are clearly marked with bright neon green caps. Our volunteer Legal Observers serve a critical role safeguarding our clients’ constitutional rights and ensuring those arrested at protests can speak to an attorney as soon as possible.
We are alarmed by the excessive use of force unleashed by State Police on demonstrators, medics and Legal Observers. As protesters prepare to return to the Broadview Detention Center next weekend, it is imperative that the Illinois State Police, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and Broadview Police Department reevaluate how they are responding to these demonstrations. Their actions jeopardize community safety and chill dissent at a time when we all must be raising our voices against injustice.
