In 2020, a group of individuals protesting for racial justice initiated legal action against the federal government, alleging excessive force by law enforcement agents dispatched by then-President Trump to safeguard the federal courthouse in Portland. The lawsuit has now reached a settlement, with the government agreeing to compensate the plaintiffs for injuries sustained during the protests, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Oregon.

While the ACLU refrained from disclosing the precise settlement amounts, they confirmed the agreement encompasses compensation for several individuals, including military veterans, a college professor, Black Lives Matter activists, and a man who claimed he was unjustly apprehended several blocks away from the courthouse.

The 2020 protests, sparked by the death of George Floyd, saw thousands take to the streets nationwide. In Portland, these demonstrations sometimes led to confrontations with law enforcement, prompting the deployment of federal agents. The lawsuit contended that these agents overstepped their authority, employing tear gas, rubber bullets, and pepper spray, resulting in injuries that required hospitalization for some protesters.

One plaintiff, Navy veteran Christopher David, was reportedly struck with a baton and pepper-sprayed, resulting in two broken bones in his hand. The suit also challenged the authority of then-Acting Director of Homeland Security Chad Wolf to deploy agents to Portland, citing his allegedly unlawful appointment. Wolf resigned in 2021, shortly before the end of the Trump administration.

During the peak of the demonstrations, hundreds of arrests were made by both local police and federal agents. This lawsuit is one of several filed by the ACLU of Oregon against the federal government on behalf of protesters, journalists, and legal observers.