ICE is exposing who Chicago "reporters" really are
Since President Donald Trump launched his immigration action tagged "Operation Midway Blitz," the increasingly violent protesters facing down ICE officers have been increasing their attacks. And now, Chicago's so-called "journalists" seem to have dropped any pretense of being reporters and have thrown right in with the protesters.
As the left is wont to do, many of the protesters are not merely engaging in daily violence, they are attempting to push their agenda via lawfare by trying to take ICE and the federal government to court, according to Politi
Some of these leftists have filed a lawsuit absurdly alleging "extreme brutality."
Joining these radical, pro-illegal alien activists are several local Chicago journalists and media gadflies who are setting aside their roles as “non-partisan reporters” to become just another activist opposing federal immigration laws.
According to the filing, several purported journalists and media organizations are suing claiming they were “targeted” and “attacked” by ICE officers.
The "media" organizations that have joined the lawsuit include Chicago Headline Club, left-wing outlet Block Club Chicago, the Illinois Press Association, and unions the Chicago Newspaper Guild and The National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians–Communications Workers of America (NABET-CWA).
Several journalists and a few others have also signed on individually, including bloggers Stephen Held and Raven Geary, the latter of whom claims to have been hit in the face with a pepper ball, Block Club Chicago correspondent Charles Thrush — who also claims a pepper ball injury — and freelancer Leigh Kunkel. Along with them, civilians Autumn Reidy-Hamer and William Paulson and Presbyterian minister and radical, left-wing activist David Black, who claims to have been hit in the head by a pepper ball, also joined the suit.
The lawsuit claims "never in modern times has the federal government undermined bedrock constitutional protections on this scale" and ICE is impinging on "the right of the demonstrator Plaintiffs to exercise their First Amendment rights to peacefully protest and to exercise their religion."
The lawsuit also alleges agents have exhibited "a pattern of extreme brutality in a concerted and ongoing effort to silence the press and civilians. Dressed in full combat gear, often masked, carrying weapons, bearing flash grenades and tear gas canisters, and marching in formation, federal agents have repeatedly advanced upon those present at the scene who posed no imminent threat to law enforcement. Snipers with guns loaded with pepper balls, paintballs, and rubber bullets are stationed on the roof of the Broadview ICE facility with their weapons trained on the press and civilians. Federal agents have tackled and slammed people to the ground; they have lobbed flash grenades and tear gas canisters indiscriminately into the crowd; they have fired rubber bullets and pepper balls at selected individuals; and they have cursed and shouted at demonstrators to provoke them."
The filing further claims protesters and members of the press are being "injured and sickened" by riot abatement tactics and are being "targeted" for arrest as if their own actions as violent protesters has no part in their temporary detention. And the suit insists there is "no legitimate purpose exists for this brutality or for these arrests."
The "journalists" are claiming to have been injured as they participated in the protests. As to preacher Black, he claims he was merely "praying" for ICE agents when he was struck by several pepper balls. Why he needed to be right in the front line among the protesters to "pray" for ICE officers, Black did not explain.
Black also has magnanimously "forgiven" the ICE officers for hitting him with pepper balls. Perhaps some Americans might forgive him for working to protect the dangerous, criminal, illegal aliens who are dealing drugs to our children, raping our daughters and wives, killing our neighbors in the commission of crimes and drunk driving, and otherwise making all of us less safe. Such an apology would be more useful.
All these litigants were injured as the protesters they were assisting were throwing bottles, rocks, flattening the tires of ICE vehicles, and shooting off fireworks at law enforcement. It is also known the riot abatement actions ICE carried out were not engaged until after the protesters were repeatedly warned to back off and stop the escalating violence.
Federal officials are standing up for their actions. "If you are obstructing law enforcement, you can expect to be met with force," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin posted on X on October 8.
"This is the same 'pastor' who flipped @Sec_Noem and our team the bird when we were there last week," she said.
The big question remains: are these media folks journalists, or activists? Their actions and lawsuits sure raise the likelihood it is the latter.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: Warner Todd Huston | Facebook, X at @WTHuston, or Truth Social at @WarnerToddHuston.
