BLM Sues City Of Seattle, Claims They Must Purchase Expensive Protective Gear To Exercise First Amendment Rights

Five protesters who say they’ve taken part in several Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Seattle are suing the city, claiming that the Seattle Police Department’s aggressive crowd control measures have forced them to purchase expensive protective gear, essentially “pricing” them out of exercising their First Amendment rights.

The suit, filed Monday, is the latest in a series of lawsuits directed at Seattle city government and Seattle Police Department over how law enforcement officials handle BLM and other associated demonstrations. The ACLU of Washington filed suit in early June alleging that Seattle police exceeded their authority when they used tear gas, flashbang grenades, and rubber bullets to handle ongoing protests that, at the time, were threatening to become riots.