8th Circuit pauses ruling on federal crowd-control tools during Minneapolis protests

A federal appeals court temporarily paused a judge’s injunction that barred federal agents deployed to Minnesota from using pepper spray or nonlethal munitions and from arresting peaceful protesters, as the government appeals. The 8th Circuit granted an administrative stay while the appeal proceeds, after U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez’s 83-page order restricted crowd-control measures amid an ACLU lawsuit over alleged constitutional rights violations by federal agents during immigration operations. The stay means the previous limitations are not in effect for now, and DHS framed the ruling as a safety win while the case continues.