LAS VEGAS — What began as a peaceful protest outside the Las Vegas Federal Courthouse on Wednesday night ended in confrontation, with police declaring the gathering an unlawful assembly, deploying pepperballs and tear gas, and taking several people into custody.
Protest Details
- When: Began around 7 p.m.
- Where: Las Vegas Boulevard and Clark Avenue, downtown Las Vegas
- Why: Protesters were demonstrating against nationwide federal immigration enforcement actions.
- Crowd: The protest grew into the hundreds, with many waving U.S. and Mexico flags and holding signs.
By 8:30 p.m., the crowd had swelled, and tensions began to rise.
Police Response and Dispersal
At 9 p.m., Las Vegas Metro Police declared an unlawful assembly, citing “illegal activity” among some protesters. Officers warned that anyone who remained in the area risked arrest or citation.
By 9:15 p.m., most of the crowd had cleared out, but multiple arrests were made. The exact number of people detained or cited remains unknown.
Civil Rights Concerns
Athar Haseebullah, Executive Director of the ACLU of Nevada, criticized the police response on social media, saying:
“We have legal observers on the ground who have just advised officers using pepperballs on protestors. Dispersal order … not audible to all … declared unlawful assembly without clarity on what unlawful activity existed during peaceful protest.”
Haseebullah noted that the ACLU was not involved in organizing the protest, but called out the police’s tactics as a First Amendment issue:
“Kettling protestors and then firing pepperballs at people and using tear gas is a #1A issue.”
What Happens Next?
The ACLU and other civil liberties advocates are closely watching how local law enforcement handles future demonstrations related to immigration enforcement. The incident adds to the growing national debate over protest rights, police crowd control methods, and the scope of immigration policy enforcement under federal mandates.
No serious injuries were reported as of late Wednesday night. Authorities have yet to publicly explain what specific “illegal activity” triggered the declaration of unlawful assembly.
