AltWeeklies Wire
Iraq War Protesters Get Their Day in Courtnew
Seven years after one of the biggest clashes between civilians and police in Albuquerque's history, 11 protesters are taking city officials to court over First Amendment issues.
Weekly Alibi |
Marisa Demarco |
02-26-2010 |
Civil Liberties
In Philly, the Cops Will Arrest You for Taking Pictures of Them Arresting Peoplenew
The photographer's only crime, as best can be ferreted from police reports, is that he was taking pictures of South Street cops arresting revelers outside of the Theater of the Living Arts the night of Nov. 19, 2009, and the cops didn't like it.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Andrew Thompson |
02-23-2010 |
Civil Liberties
Sheriff's Detention Officers Unnecessarily Terrorized a Psychotic Inmatenew
Eric Vogel was a seriously mentally ill Phoenix man who died (of a heart attack, officially) in December 2001, a week after a violent incident with the jailers at the now-closed Madison Street Jail. The civil case was filed by Vogel's survivors.
Phoenix New Times |
Paul Rubin |
02-16-2010 |
Civil Liberties
Eight Relentless Watchdogs Who Hound Public Officials in Pursuit of Answersnew
On good days they’re known as citizen watchdogs. On bad days, they’re civic-minded pains in the neck. If you’ve been to a public meeting in process-happy Portland, you know the type. They’re the activists who testify time after time at City Council - and elsewhere.
Willamette Week |
Beth Slovic |
02-03-2010 |
Civil Liberties
Will This Nondiscrimination Bill Transition to a Law?new
Hundreds of transgender Massachusetts residents gathered recently to lobby (yet again) for the right to stand under the state's hate crime and nondiscrimination umbrella. Currently, a range of person-flavors are covered — including race, religion, age, nationality and others — but not transgender identity.
Dig Boston |
Maya Phillips |
01-27-2010 |
Civil Liberties
UCSB Scholar Advocates Humane Treatment of Detained Immigrantsnew
Professor Manuel Casas traveled from UCSB to Washington in early November to speak on behalf of illegal immigrants. At a Congressional hearing, he supported two bills in the House of Representatives that promoted what Casas refers to as “common sense.”
Santa Barbara Independent |
Rebecca Bachman |
12-22-2009 |
Civil Liberties
O'Brien's Song: Now, the Activist Must Fight for His Lifenew
For Tim O'Brien, grad school, and life in general, are full-contact sports, and heaven protect anyone who gets in the way of his idea of justice.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
12-15-2009 |
Civil Liberties
A U.S. Citizen Testifies Before Congress About Being Racially Profilednew
Julio Mora testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee in April, the star witness during a hearing held on Immigration and Customs Enforcement's 287(g) agreements with local police entities. He and his dad were detained for three hours during a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office immigration raid.
Phoenix New Times |
Stephen Lemons |
12-08-2009 |
Civil Liberties
Illinois Judge Says Autistic Child Can Bring Service Dog to Schoolnew
An Illinois judge decided last week that Kaleb Drew, a 6-year-old with autism, can bring his service dog Chewey to school. The Drew family and their local school district have battled over the issue in court since July. It's the first time the issue has been tested in court in the state.
Illinois Times |
Amanda Robert |
11-20-2009 |
Civil Liberties
Courthouse Bomber to Speak About Social Changenew
After it was initially canceled, a controversial talk by a radical activist will go on at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Ray Luc Levasseur, who became a radical in part due to his experiences as a soldier in Vietnam, will talk on campus in connection with a symposium on "social change."
Boston Phoenix |
Rick Wormwood |
11-11-2009 |
Civil Liberties
Feds Bust Twitterer, Impound Fuzzy Dolls and Buffy Videos in War on Terrornew
Elliot Madison's real crime, it seems, is being a self-proclaimed anarchist, which is no more illegal than being a self-proclaimed Democrat or Lutheran. His tweets were not more informative or subversive than MSNBC's live coverage of the G-20 protests.
Artvoice |
Michael I. Niman |
10-16-2009 |
Civil Liberties
An Inside Look at the G20 Summit and the Police State That Surrounded Itnew
The phrase "lockdown" doesn't quite get to the core of how militarized and contained Pittsburgh really was throughout the two-day G20 Sept. 24 and 25.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Matt Stroud |
10-06-2009 |
Civil Liberties
G-20 Dispatch: Never Mind Civil Liberties -- Did Police Squander a PR Opportunity?new
Going into the G-20, there was a lot of concern that anarchists might ruin a once-in-a-lifetime photo op. It didn't turn out that way. But it's still possible the police might smudge the city's G-20 halo.
Pittsburgh City Paper |
Chris Potter |
09-29-2009 |
Civil Liberties
Following Raid on Gay Bar, the Atlanta PD Reels from Harrassment Complaintsnew
Why did police feel they needed to take down the club with the kind of force usually reserved for busting meth labs? Why did officers seem to act so unprofessionally toward the Eagle's customers, none of whom was arrested? And was the whole thing really just about sex?
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Scott Henry |
09-22-2009 |
Civil Liberties
New Hampshire Transplants Live Free -- or Die Tryingnew
They're digging up public squares. They're smoking pot and baring breasts. And they openly carry guns. New Hampshire residents are divided as to whether the Free State Project is a godsend or a nuisance.
Boston Phoenix |
Chris Faraone |
08-27-2009 |
Civil Liberties
