Judge Limits Las Vegas Police Use of Pepperballs
A federal judge barred police from using pepperballs against protester Kathleen Cavalaro unless she is assaultive or poses an immediate public safety threat.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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Chief U.S. District Judge Andrew Gordon ordered a limited injunction on Saturday prohibiting Las Vegas police from using pepperballs against Kathleen Cavalaro unless she is assaultive or poses an immediate public safety threat. The order follows allegations that officers shot Cavalaro in the back with a pepperball and zip-tied her hands while she was walking away as ordered.
Why it matters
The ruling places a court-enforced limit on how Las Vegas officers may respond to protesters who are complying with dispersal orders. It also reflects broader scrutiny of Metro's handling of demonstrations held in June 2025 against immigration enforcement tactics.
Judge Gordon's injunction applies to Cavalaro alone and remains in effect while the case proceeds, with the department's response not yet detailed. Of over 100 protesters arrested in June 2025, 90 face no prosecution from the city attorney's office, while the separate $325,000 settlement reached by Karlin Martinez with the Metropolitan Police Department shows prior legal costs.
The players
Andrew Gordon
Andrew Gordon is the Chief U.S. District Judge who issued the limited injunction in the Cavalaro case and criticized Metro's protest tactics.
Kathleen Cavalaro
Kathleen Cavalaro is a protester who was shot with a pepperball and arrested by Las Vegas police during a demonstration.
Metropolitan Police Department
The Metropolitan Police Department, commonly called Metro, is the law enforcement agency of Las Vegas whose officers conducted the arrests and reached the $325,000 settlement with Karlin Martinez.
The details
Officers shot Cavalaro in the back with a pepperball as she followed their command to leave, then pursued her down the sidewalk and zip-tied her hands behind her back. The arrest was made under Metro's policy of ending a protest after a dispersal order, a policy that applies regardless of location.
Timeline
June 2025: Thousands gathered downtown to oppose immigration enforcement tactics, and over 100 protesters were arrested.
Saturday, November 1, 2026: Judge Andrew Gordon ordered the injunction for Cavalaro.
Legal Context
The injunction comes after the Las Vegas city attorney's office declined to prosecute 90 of the more than 100 protesters arrested in June 2025 against immigration enforcement tactics. It also follows the Metropolitan Police Department's $325,000 settlement with Karlin Martinez, indicating a pattern of legal challenges to police conduct at those protests.
Residents who attend downtown demonstrations may face different police responses depending on whether they are following dispersal orders. The ruling applies to Cavalaro specifically, so other protesters' rights to be free from similar force are not changed by this order.
The takeaway
Anyone attending a protest should understand that complying with a dispersal order is the clearest way to avoid force, and that court orders like this one can limit police conduct toward individuals. Keeping a record of any interactions with officers can help if questions about conduct arise later.
Further reading
Explore more Las Vegas law enforcement coverage for context on how local police handle protests and arrests.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Las Vegas Review-Journal.
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