Protesters, legal observers and journalists are suing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Los Angeles federal court for allegedly attacking them with retaliatory violence in violation of their constitutional rights to protest and report on government actions, it was announced Friday.

The suit — brought by the Los Angeles Press Club, the NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America, three journalists, two protesters and a legal observer — alleges that the DHS use of force at demonstrations against recent immigration raids punishes and suppresses the exercise of First Amendment-protected rights.

According to the complaint filed late Wednesday, DHS misuses weaponry, including chemical agents such as tear gas, rubber bullets, impact munitions, pepper balls, pepper spray, exploding grenades, batons and fists to retaliate against protesters, legal observers and reporters to create a violent spectacle the Trump administration is using as a pretext to turn the military against Californians.

ALSO SEE: Media groups sue LA County Sheriff’s Department, say journalists were injured covering protests

A DHS representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Each time the community rises in protest against the federal government’s attacks on our people, DHS retaliates with sweeping, excessive force,” stated Peter Eliasberg, chief counsel at the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, which represents plaintiffs.

“Federal law enforcement has brutalized demonstrators, causing disorder in a circular ploy to justify deploying military domestically against now and future protesters,” he said. “But people have the right to keep protesting the violent separation of families and ICE’s terrorizing of our people.”

Adam Rose, press rights chair of the L.A. Press Club, alleged that since June 6, at least seven members of the club have been subject to use of force or suffered a serious press rights violation by DHS officers.

“These journalists were just doing their job, not breaking any law,” Rose said. “Democracy depends on an informed public. An informed public depends on a press free to do its job without fearing violence by federal agents.”

Alongside the complaint is a request for a temporary restraining order, asking the court to issue an order restraining DHS before the weekend. The application, which is supported by dozens of declarations from protesters, legal observers and journalists describing alleged DHS attacks and resulting injuries, including concussion, blood clots, bruising and burns.

Plaintiffs are seeking injunctive relief.

Earlier in the week, the Press Club and two news organizations sued Los Angeles County in federal court, alleging the Sheriff’s Department has targeted media members with non-lethal but dangerous munitions and engaged in excessive force against its members who have covered recent protests.

A previous suit, filed in federal court by the Press Club and reporting network Status Coup accuses the Los Angeles Police Department and its chief of violating reporters’ rights while they were covering recent immigration raids and subsequent civil unrest.