CHICAGO (AP) — Witnesses in a Chicago courtroom described Wednesday being hit with tear gas and claims by others that they were struck with rubber bullets and other objects as part of excessive force by authorities on protesters during demonstrations over the detainment of immigrants and federal immigration policies.
A federal judge is hearing testimony during a preliminary injunction hearing in a lawsuit filed by news outlets and protesters.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs played a clip of senior Border Patrol official Greg Bovino grabbing and tackling a man to the ground during one demonstration outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, a suburb of Chicago.
Oak Park Township Trustee Juan Munoz said he was standing beside the man and was also knocked down and pinned by Bovino during the chaos. Munoz said Bovino also smacked his phone from his hands.
Munoz said he was arrested and detained in the Broadview facility for eight hours. He has not returned to the facility to protest, Munoz added.
