Last week, the ACLU of DC filed a lawsuit alleging that Washington, D.C. police committed a range of unconstitutional acts including false arrests, excessive force, and denying access to food against people arrested during Inauguration Day weekend. It’s not surprising that D.C. was volatile during Trump’s first days in office, but the Metropolitan Police Department apparently took things too far. ThinkProgress reports:
Officers quickly deployed pepper spray, tear gas, and crowd-control grenades of various types. The Metropolitan Police Department opted to “kettle” everyone on the streets nearby the initial anarchist-driven property destruction, something it does not, by reputation, make a habit of doing during protests.
The mass round-up swept the “Antifa” rowdy types together with many peaceful protesters, journalists, and volunteer legal observers who turn out in bright green hats to help uphold First Amendment rights at such events in the capital. After hours of kettling, police arrested more than 200 people. All were initially charged with felonies by the United States Attorney’s office, which continues to pursue the vast majority of those cases.
Getting arrested amongst such chaos and facing felony charges is traumatizing enough, but the plaintiffs say they also endured something much more odious: sexual and psychological abuse at the hands of the police.
An officer ordered Horse, fellow plaintiff Milo Gonzalez, and three others to take their pants off before grabbing their testicles and then inserting a finger into their anuses while “other officers laughed,” the complaint alleges. Horse is a photojournalist, one of six reporters initially arrested and charged whose cases have been dismissed.
Plaintiffs Judah Ariel, Milo Gonzalez, and Shay Horse, and Elizabeth Lagesse believe the abuse was used as a way to punish the arrestees.
In their response, the Metropolitan Police Department admitted to no wrongdoing—but they also say they’re going to do an investigation into the allegations. They say in their statement:
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.
For a full copy of the lawsuit, click here.