Recently released documents show that the ACLU is planning on doing legal observation for the upcoming G20 protests in pittsburgh. Usually at demonstrations like these legal support is provided by the National Lawyers Guild, or other groups sympathetic to 'radicals' like the Midnight Special, or People's Law Collective. The ACLU however is planning on being 'neutral' and intends to videotape and surveil the activities of protesters who break the law as well as the behavior of the police. They also state that they will testify in court about such illegal activity.
From the documents:
"Again your job is to document, as thoroughly as possible, any incidents, arrests, or misconduct (by police or protesters) that take place. Document everything the police and protesters do as thoroughly as possible." "Stay vigilant at all times. Look for signs of potential trouble such as protesters wearing masks..."
Which side are you on?
In NYC in the late 1990s the ACLU famously took on the case of KKK members who planned to protest in the city. The ACLU took the city to court over the mask law which would make it illegal for the Klan to demonstrate with their pointy white hoods. However when a similar case arose in 2000 involving anarchists who were arrested and attacked by police for wearing masks at a Mayday demonstration the ACLU refused to help. The ACLU has also been largely silent if not latently supportive of federal repression of Animal and Earth Liberationists.
Check out the pdfs of the ACLU documents.
here and here
3 comments:
The links go to Keepandshare. After signing up and going to the loveandresistance Keepandshare page, I still couldn't view the documents.
How can they be accessed?
try it now, i made it public...
just thought you might like to know i am blogging the ucsc occupation
http://likelostchildren.blogspot.com
maus
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