Blog & Press Releases
First Amendment victory in Pennsylvania
Last week, a federal court in Pennsylvania struck down a state law aimed at restricting the free speech rights of prisoners. In Mumia Abu Jamal v. Kane, the court addressed a new state law in Pennsylvania called the “Revictimization Relief Act,” which attempted to stop accused or convicted criminals from publicly expressing viewpoints that might offend the alleged victims of their crimes. The court found the law unconstitutional because it had an unlawful purpose, was vaguely executed, and was patently overbroad in its scope.
Glimmers of Hope
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a rare glimmer of hope in a case called Rodriguez v. United States. In the case, the court held that police cannot extend a routine traffic stop to use a drug dog to sniff a stopped vehicle for drugs.
Policing the Police: Your Right to Record Law Enforcement
In light of the shortcomings of the legal system and growing police violence against people, there are many ways that communities can help each other to defend their rights to be free from unlawful searches, seizures, and cruel and inhumane treatment by law enforcement officers.
Filming the Police on your cell phone
In light of the recent Supreme Court case that came out a couple weeks ago that found that GPS tracking constitutes a search under the Fourth Amendment, and therefore requires a warrant we wanted to go over your rights to protect your data if you end up in a situation where you record police misconduct on your phone.
Death in Custody Reporting Act
Amid the seemingly never-ending news of police shootings and killings of unarmed civilians, there is a rising public demand for more police accountability. To placate this growing demand, a few months ago, Congress passed a new version of the Death in Custody Reporting Act, 42 U.S.C. 13727. This law, which is a revised version of a law that has been on the books for over a decade, requires state and federal law enforcement agencies to report how many people are killed by their police officers.
Black Lives Matter
The roughly 100 page report on police practices in Ferguson, MO details numerous ways in which the police department and court system in Ferguson have violated and continue to violate the U.S. Constitution.
Federal Appeals Court Confirms Right to Protest
On March 10, 2015, the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision in a case called CPR for Skid Row v. City of Los Angeles.
The federal appeals court found that the arrest of the organizer was unconstitutional. Even though the California law states that anyone who “willfully disturbs or breaks up” a meeting is guilty of a misdemeanor, there are important exceptions that apply to political protests.
Possible Reforms to FOIA Requests on the Horizon
The “FOIA Improvement Act of 2015” aims to make it easier for the public to obtain records and harder for federal agencies to hide records.
2015 Next Generation Climate Justice Action Camp
Save the date! CLDC’s 2nd annual Next Generation Climate Justice Action Camp is August 3rd-8th. The Location will be at the Apserkaha Park at Howard Prairie Lake north of Medford, Oregon. This is a action camp for training teens age 14-18 how to organize for climate justice causes.
Winnemem Wintu Coming of Age Ceremony, 2013
Our next Coming of Age ceremony is coming up in July, July 20 – 23. Please share this video, and let Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell (ttidwell@fs.fed.us) know that you expect his agency to work with us to avoid a repeat of his underlings’ disgraceful behavior of last year.
CLDC Defends Right to Protest at Federal Plaza 24 Hours a Day
US District Court Judge Coffin will be hearing arguments on Occupy Activist Beatrice Semple’s challenge to the constitutionality of her arrest 11/8/12 at 11:15 am US District Court in Eugene. The Court will issue a written opinion so stay tuned.
CLDC Defends Josh Schlossberg
Two police officers with the Eugene Police Department confronted environmental activist Josh Schlossberg as he handed out flyers and information to interested passers-by on the public sidewalk in front of the Umpqua Bank. Mr. Schlossberg was providing information on the negative impacts of some of the business investments of the Bank on the local forests. After one of the officers decided everything was in order, an EPD sergeant with a history of questionable actions against activists and others, investigated Mr. Schlossberg’s public activities again.
Federal Government Releases Environmental Activist Eric McDavid From Prison
CLDC is thrilled to announce that Eric McDavid, Environmental Activist, has been released from custody. Welcome home Eric!
Ferguson: The Evils of the Grand Jury System
CLDC Executive Director and Staff Attorney, Lauren Regan, weighs in on how the Grand Jury System allowed a cop to get away with murder in Ferguson.
Railroads, Ports, and Utilities Legal Primer
This legal primer is intended to be a basic legal resource for activists and legal observers involved in protests at or around railroads, ports, and energy facilities. Use this guide to help you understand what you are getting into before taking any action. If you are...
The Last Gasp of Climate Change Liberals
The climate change march in New York on Sept. 21, expected to draw as many as 200,000 people, is one of the last gasps of conventional liberalism’s response to the climate crisis. It will take place two days before the actual gathering of world leaders in New York called by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to discuss the November 2015 U.N.
The march, because its demands are amorphous, can be joined by anyone.
The Climate Group, for example, which endorses the march, includes among its members and sponsors BP, China Mobile, Dow Chemical Co., Duke Energy, HSBC, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Greenstone.
These faux environmental organizations are designed to neutralize resistance. And their presence exposes the march’s failure to adopt a meaningful agenda or pose a genuine threat to power. Our only hope comes from radical groups descending on New York to carry out direct action, including Global Climate Convergence and Popular Resistance.
Electronic Communications Surveillance
The government is collecting information on millions of citizens. Phone, Internet, and email habits, credit card and bank records—virtually all information that is communicated electronically is subject to the watchful eye of the state. The government is even building a nifty, 1.5 million square foot facility in Utah to house all of this data. With the recent exposure of the NSA’s PRISM program by whistleblower Edward Snowden, many people—especially activists—are wondering: How much privacy do we actually have? Well, as far as electronic privacy, the short answer is: None. None at all. There are a few ways to protect yourself, but ultimately, nothing in electronic communications is absolutely protected.
Copwatching
Copwatchers are on the lookout for police brutality at all times, not just when a demonstration or protest is taking place. However, the goals of decreasing police brutality and keeping cops accountable for their actions against citizens are the same. They also practice careful documentation of any incidents.
Guide to Using Corporate Logos
CLDC’s guide to using corporate logos, also known as brand jamming. This guide will help navigate trademark and copyright rules.
Mark Kemp v. Lane County and the City of Springfield
Civil Liberties Defense Center case filed on behalf of Mark Kemp.
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