ACLU Sues Indiana State Police For Restrictions on Anti-Death Penalty Protests

Anti-death penalty protesters want to stand vigil during executions outside the prison entrance but have been blocked by police since early July. The ACLU lawsuit says the 1.6-mile no-protest zone around the federal prison does not serve a significant government interest and should be struck down.

DHS Reassigns Official Who Collected Intelligence Reports on Journalists and Protesters

While leading I & A, Brian Murphy compiled intelligence reports on two journalists–a New York Times reporter and Lawfare’s editor-in-chief– who had published leaked department documents. Murphy also compiled reports analyzing protesters' electronic messages that discussed tactics such as which routes to follow and how to avoid the police. 

ACLU of Oregon Sues Portland Police For Livestreaming Protests

The lawsuit claims that the filming of demonstrators violates a state law that prohibits collecting information about the political, religious, or social views of an individual or group who are not suspected of criminal activity. The practice could also discourage protesters from attending demonstrations to avoid state surveillance.

ACLU Sues City of Minneapolis For Injuries to Demonstrators During George Floyd Protests

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Minnesota, along with law firm Fish & Richardson, has filed a civil rights lawsuit on behalf of four protesters against the City of Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Police Chief, the head of the police officer’s union, and others.

Oregon Sues Federal Agencies For Violating Portlanders’ First Amendment Right to Protest

“We are today asking the federal court to stop the federal police from secretly stopping and forcibly grabbing Oregonians off our streets,” Oregon Attorney General Ellen F. Rosemblum said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. 

Protesters File Class Action Against Richmond Police

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of five Richmond residents, some of whom were sprayed with tear gas, and others who were forced to leave the protest early after seeing the police deploy chemical weapons. 

ACLU Sues City of Seattle For Using Excessive Force On Protestors

On June 9th, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Washington filed an emergency lawsuit demanding that the City of Seattle immediately stop using chemical agents on protestors. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court of Western Washington on behalf of Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County and individual demonstrators, comes in response to the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) continued use of chemical agents for crowd control.

Lawmakers Call for the Drug Enforcement Administration to End Its Surveillance of Protesters

“The DEA’s narcotics interdiction tactics are not appropriate measures to address the limited violence that has taken place over the past few days or to monitor peaceful protests,” the letter said. “The expansion of the DEA’s law enforcement authority, including the use of ‘covert surveillance’ and collection of intelligence, is unwarranted and antithetical to the American people’s right to peacefully assemble and to exercise their Constitutional rights without undue Intrusion.”