Eugene journalist sues EPD over alleged constitutional violations

Henry Houston works for Eugene Weekly and is suing after being shot at with tear gas

50s and 60s.

A local journalist is taking the eugene police department to federal court after he says officers shot him with a pepper ball during a protest.

Kezi nine news reporter connor mccarthy spoke with the journalist's attorney and is live here in the studio to show us why she says this can have a chilling effect on other journalists.

Matt and renee-- i spoke with marianne dugan who is representing eugene weekly journalist... henry houston.

She says the lawsuit claims euegene police violated houston's right to report on a major event for the public.

This video is the type of tools eugene police used that weekend.

On may 31st... two days after the riots... the city of eugene enacted a curfew at 9 p-m to clear out protesters.

Houston was reporting on the protest when police moved in with riot gear.

He says he repeatedly identified himself as a journalist but officers still shot at him with rubber bullets and tear gas at houston.

The chilling effect is the more we let this happen, the fewer reporters were going to have that are willing to go out and reporter on dangerous situations like police assualts on our city.

Dugan says they are not disclosing what they want in return with the lawsuit.

But she says if e-p- d use the same tactics she will file an injunction to put a stop to it.

Matt and renee-- i did reach out to the eugene police department for comment but they declined because the case is in litigation.

Houston said in a statement that he hopes this case will change how e-p-d polices the streets.

We should also point out that there's another demonstration scheduled for tonight.

And i'll be there.

Live in the studio connor mccarthy kezi nine news.