Jury Awards $700K to Seattle Protesters Jailed for Writing Anti-Police Slogans on Barricade
The jury found the protesters were jailed as retaliation, and the officers acted with malice, reckless disregard or oppression denying the plaintiffs their First Amendment rights.
Louisiana Law That Could Limit Filming of Police Hampers Key Tool for Racial Justice, Attorneys Say
Critics have said the law — signed this week by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry — could hinder the public’s ability to film officers.
Louisiana Law Will Criminalize Approaching Police in Certain Circumstances
The legislation’s language does not specifically mention filming, but opponents have questioned its constitutionality, saying it could impede a person’s First Amendment rights.
Minneapolis Settles Lawsuit Alleging Police Harassed Journalists Covering Floyd Protests
Several journalists reported being struck by less-lethal munitions and being herded and detained while covering protests.
NYPD Agrees to Reform Tactics For Responding to Public Protest
New York City’s police department has agreed to adopt new policies intended to safeguard the rights of protesters as part of a legal settlement stemming from its response to the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in 2020.
The City of Tallahassee filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit on Jan. 5 filed by a former Citizens Police Review Board member who was voted off the board because of an “abolish police” sticker on her cup.
Journalists Injured by Police While Covering George Floyd Protests are Winning Large Settlements
Nine days after George Floyd’s death, the American Civil Liberties Union posted a story characterizing the attacks on journalists covering the protests as a “full-scale assault on the First Amendment freedom of the press.” Lawsuits were filed and we detail the top three settlements this year obtained by journalists and a citizen documenting the protests.
Teacher and Citizen Guides: Recording Video and Audio of Police Officers
By 2019, more than 81% of Americans owned a smartphone, as compared to 35% in 2011. This has given rise to “citizen journalists” who record and disseminate videos of police officers performing their duties in public. Does the First Amendment protect them, or can the state prohibit the recording of police activity?