'I couldn't even believe I was living that': Key hearing over feds' use of force in Chicago underway

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GlyphNestX

High-Stakes Hearing Over Feds' Use of Force in Chicago Underway

A tense hearing is underway over the treatment of protesters and journalists amid the US government's aggressive deportation campaign in Chicago. The key hearing comes after a month-long court battle featuring top federal officials and an appeals court's rebuke.

Lawyers for plaintiffs played portions of Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino's sworn deposition, which featured him stating that "everybody f---ing gets it if they touch you" to agents. Bovino also said "this is our f---ing city," sparking concerns about the use of force in Chicago.

The hearing comes after a video surfaced showing Bovino telling agents to use force against protesters, including one where he instructed an agent to tackle someone who was not armed or violent. The video sparked outrage among community members and journalists, who claim that federal agents have been using excessive force against nonviolent protesters and observers.

The hearing is also relevant to the recent incident in which a woman was shot by US Border Patrol officers at a protest outside the Broadview processing facility. Community members and journalists have accused the feds of using tear gas and other "riot control weapons" against people who pose no immediate threat, without two warnings.

US District Judge Sara Ellis has been deluged with claims that the feds have violated her temporary restraining order, including an allegation that Bovino personally tossed tear gas into a crowd in Little Village without justification. The hearing is the culmination of the legal back-and-forth that prompted last week's appearance at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse by Bovino.

The plaintiffs' lawyers argue that the feds' use of chemical agents, physical violence, and unwarranted dispersal orders against nonviolent protesters and observers is clearly excessive in relation to the government interest in ensuring the execution of its laws. "When [federal agents] are faced with a crowd of nonviolent protesters registering their disagreement with Operation Midway Blitz, federal agents routinely respond with excessive and indiscriminate use of chemical and impact munitions, arrests, and violence," they added.

The hearing is expected to determine whether the feds' tactics will be restricted on a long-term basis.
 
Ugh, this whole thing is just so unfair 🤯... I mean, what if you're just trying to protest for something that's important to you? Like, we have student councils and rallies all the time at school and nobody gets shot by the principal 😂. The fact that federal agents are using force against protesters without warning is crazy. And it's not just about the physical harm either, it's about the emotional trauma too. I would be totally freaked out if I saw some guy in a uniform telling me to get tackled 🤦‍♂️.

It's also weird that they're saying "this is our f---ing city" like they own the place. Newsflash, agents: we're all human beings here 👥. We have rights and freedoms too, you know? And it's not just about the protests either, it's about journalists trying to report on what's going on. I mean, wouldn't you want people to know what's happening at school if someone was getting hurt or arrested? 📰

I hope the hearing makes some changes soon because this stuff needs to stop ASAP 💪.
 
This whole thing just feels like a manifestation of our collective anxiety about losing control... I mean, who's in charge here? The government or the people? It seems like we're being forced to choose between security and freedom, and that's a tough pill to swallow.

I've been thinking a lot about what it means for us to "touch" each other - literally and figuratively. We can't just assume that everyone knows their place or understands our rules. What if the agents are feeling overwhelmed or scared? Do we really need to throw them at protesters like they're enemy combatants?

And have you seen those videos of tear gas being deployed? It's like a scene from a war movie, but it's not a war - it's us, right here in our own cities. We're fighting for what we believe in, and yet the feds are using tactics that would be considered disproportionate even in the most extreme situations.

This whole thing is making me wonder if we've lost sight of what it means to live in a democracy...
 
omg can't believe what's goin on in chicago 🤯 like how can federal agents just do whatever they feel like? newsflash: we gotta keep an eye on this 'cause it sounds super sketchy. Bovino's comments are straight up wild and I'm not even talking about the part where he says "this is our f---ing city". sounds like a recipe for disaster 🚨

anyway, I'm hyped to see what happens next in this hearing. hopefully the judge tosses those excessive force tactics in the trash and we get some real change 💥. these protesters have the right to express themselves without getting caught in a chokehold or pepper sprayed 😩 it's time for us to stand up for them 👊
 
🤔 I'm low-key impressed that the community is not taking this lying down. Like, these ppl have been through so much already, but they're still fighting for their rights and holding those in power accountable? It's like, we gotta keep pushing for change, you know? 💪 And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino is acting like he's above the law just because he's got a fancy title? Newsflash, dude: using excessive force against peaceful protesters isn't cool. It's not "our city," it's our country, and everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. 💕
 
I'm so worried about what's going down in Chicago 🤕. The way those agents are treating protesters and journalists is just not right. I mean, "everybody f---ing gets it if they touch you" ? that's some serious messed up police psychology. And who says it's their city? The feds shouldn't be using force against peaceful protesters like that. It's all about free speech and respecting people's rights to express themselves. This hearing better not let them off the hook, we need real change here 💪
 
omg u guys i am literally shaking thinking about all this... so like i've been following this whole thing and it's just gettin crazy how much power these agents have and how they're using it on ppl who are just tryin to express themselves i mean we need some accountability here, like seriously what is going through that commander's head? telling agents to tackle someone who wasn't even armed???! and now a woman has been shot by the border patrol and no one knows why... it's just too much. i hope justice gets served at this hearing and those in charge are held accountable for their actions 🤯🚔
 
I'm low-key impressed by how easily those fed agents can get away with using force against peaceful protesters... like, what's next? They'll just tell everyone "everybody gets it if they touch you" and expect us to calm down 🤯. It's crazy that some of these officers think they're above the law, like Gregory Bovino saying "this is our f---ing city"... more like "this is your f---ing city, stay out of it". The fact that they're just using tear gas on people who aren't even a threat to them is wild... and what's with the video where he tells an agent to tackle someone who wasn't even armed? It's like they're trying to provoke us or something 🚫. Can't wait to see if this hearing actually leads to some real change... but I'm not holding my breath 💔
 
I gotta say, I'm low-key worried about this whole situation 🤔. I mean, what's up with these agents just running wild like that? Like, yeah, we get it, there are protests happening and some people might be getting outta hand, but does the government really need to use all that force? It seems super disproportionate to me 😒.

I also don't think it's cool that they're using tear gas without warning – that's just reckless. I know we gotta respect the law and all, but sometimes you gotta chill out a bit, you know? And what about those journalists and protesters who are just trying to exercise their First Amendment rights? They shouldn't be getting treated like they're some kind of threat 📰.

I'm not saying we should let people cause chaos or anything, but do we really need the feds to get involved in stuff that's essentially a free speech situation? It feels like they're more worried about enforcing their laws than actually listening to what everyone else has to say 🤷‍♀️.
 
this whole thing seems like a huge overreaction. i mean, protesters get aggressive sometimes, but do the feds really need to use force? it's just not right 🤔. and what's with the video of bovino telling agents to tackle someone who wasn't even armed? that's just crazy talk 🚫. i'm all for people exercising their right to protest, but not at the expense of federal agents' safety... or is that just a cop-out? 💡. anyway, can we please focus on finding solutions that don't involve waging war against civilians? 🙄.
 
idk why the gov's using so much force against protesters its like they're trying to crush their spirits lol what's the point of deporting ppl who just wanna express their opinions u think the border patrol agents r really that scared of people protesting 🤔👀 i dont get why dey cant jus have a chill conversation with ppl instead of reaching for their guns
 
🤔 I'm really disappointed in how this whole thing went down. Like, what even is the point of having a law if you're just gonna do whatever and expect everyone else to roll with it? 🙄 This Border Patrol Commander dude, Gregory Bovino, needs to get his act together. The fact that he's basically saying "just touch us and we'll know" to agents is wild... like, what kind of messed up training does this guy have? 😲

And don't even get me started on the woman who got shot at a protest. Like, what were they even doing there? You'd think that if you're not causing any trouble, you wouldn't be getting pepper sprayed and shot by the cops... 🤯 It's just so frustrating when people in power are more concerned with looking tough than actually doing their job right.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what comes of this hearing. But honestly, I'm skeptical that anything concrete will come out of it. The feds seem like they're always gonna find a way to justify whatever they do, no matter how excessive it is... 🙄
 
idk why this is still a thing... like, can't we all just get along? 🤷‍♀️ the fact that they're even having a hearing about it feels like a waste of time and resources. i mean, what's the end goal here? are they really gonna make some rule to stop people from using force when they don't have to? it sounds like a bunch of bureaucratic red tape to me.

but at the same time... 😐 i can see why community members and journalists are so upset. the vids of bovino telling agents to use force against protesters is wild, and the fact that they're using tear gas on people who aren't even armed... it's just not right. but will anything actually change? 🤔 i'm skeptical.

it feels like we're stuck in this cycle of "oh, there's another incident, so we need to have a hearing about it"... can't we just focus on building bridges and finding solutions instead of always pointing fingers and having hearings? 🙄
 
😬 I'm keeping an eye on this one... it sounds like things are about to get really heated. I think the gov's use of force in Chicago is way too excessive. Those vids of Border Patrol agents using tear gas and physical violence against non-violent protesters are straight up disturbing. 🤯 I don't think it's okay for them to just start throwing chemical agents at people who aren't even a threat. And what's with the "this is our f---ing city" comment? Like, no way dude, this is not your city. The gov needs to take responsibility for its actions and make sure they're following the law. ⚖️
 
its like a mess man 🤯 the fed's are getting slammed for using force against protesters and journalists who just wanna express themselves peacefully. i get that national security is important but not at the expense of people's rights, you feel? 🤝

gregory bovino sounds like a real stand-up guy 🙄 saying "everybody f---ing gets it if they touch you" and "this is our f---ing city" to agents is just wrong. its like, dont be that person 🚫 where you're more worried about asserting your authority than actually keeping people safe.

the fact that community members and journalists are being hurt by the feds' tactics is a major concern 🤕 two warnings before using tear gas or physical force should be enough. this hearing is a good opportunity for us to have a calm and rational discussion about how to handle these situations, rather than just relying on heavy-handed enforcement 👮‍♀️
 
🤔 this whole thing is just super concerning... like, I don't think it's okay for border patrol agents to be basically saying that anyone who gets in their way is fair game. and what's up with all these reports of tear gas being used on nonviolent protesters? that's just insane 🙄

I'm also worried about the fact that people are getting hurt, like that woman who got shot at a protest... it's just not right 💔. I think we need to have some serious consequences for whoever is responsible for this kind of behavior.

and can we talk about how ridiculous it is that these agents think they can just do whatever they want and then claim they're following protocol? nope 🚫, not on my watch... or anyone else's, i guess 😒
 
🤔 this whole thing feels super fishy, like something's off about how these agents are treating protesters and journalists in chicago 🚫 i mean, they're talking about "everybody f---ing gets it if they touch you" and "this is our f---ing city" - sounds like a recipe for disaster to me 😬 how can we trust that these agents aren't just making stuff up or being super aggressive on purpose? 🤯 and what's with the lack of warnings before using tear gas and other riot control measures? it just seems so disproportionate 👎
 
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