The Ninth Circuit Just Handed ICE a Major Win in Portland

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals just dealt a blow to the anti-ICE protests that have been raging outside the Portland ICE facility for ages. In a three-panel decision, the court blocked a judge's order that prohibited federal officers from deploying crowd control munitions on those protesters.

The three-panel decision, issued by judges Kenneth Lee, Eric Tung, "and Ana de Alba (dissent), reads as follows:

"The First Amendment does not protect vandalism, criminal trespass, or obstruction of law enforcement. Such unlawful acts, however, have been commonplace around the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") building in Portland over the past year."

Numerous provocateurs—many wielding bats, shields, and strobe lights that disrupt vision—have hurled bricks, smashed security cameras, and blocked the driveway to prevent ICE cars from entering or exiting the building. In response, the government has used tear gas, pepper balls, and other non-lethal munitions to disperse the crowd."