ACLU
Tony –
We want to update you on the situation on the ground in Portland, Oregon. Over the past few weeks, militarized federal forces have escalated their violent attacks against the city's people. In response, the ACLU of Oregon immediately sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Marshal Service.
And we have no intention of backing down. Please read more on this unfolding crisis and our plans to hold those responsible for the brutality against protesters accountable.
Since June, police have fired tear gas and other munitions into crowds gathered to protest police brutality in Portland. Now, federal agents are occupying the streets – inflicting pain on and silencing people who believe Black Lives Matter. Protesters and members of the press have been shot in the head with kinetic impact munitions, swept away in unmarked cars, and repeatedly tear gassed.
These actions are unconstitutional and inhumane, and they are not going unanswered. Last Wednesday, the ACLU of Oregon sued on behalf of a group of medics attacked by unmarked federal agents as they tried to care for injured protesters. This followed our lawsuit the week prior, which has already succeeded in blocking federal authorities from arresting or attacking journalists and legal observers.
This is likely only the beginning, Tony – so please read more to stay informed. Federal agencies are doubling down on their harsh tactics, stating that they will not leave the streets of Portland and they will take their disturbing practices nationwide. The government is crafting plans to deploy roughly 150 federal agents to Chicago soon.
We cannot accept this as the new normal. That is why we will be watching nationwide, ready to challenge any constitutional abuses.
Our democracy and our safety are on the line right now. We will not stop fighting to protect both.
Thank you for being part of this critical work,
Vera Eidelman
ACLU attorney, fighting for free speech
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We need the ACLU now more than ever.
And as we exercise our own rights, we need to respect the rights of other people. We all have rights.
I also support peaceful protest, and I do not support rioting and burning and looting.
Here in Anaheim the officers have been learning more and more about how to do healthy crowd control, the protesters can make their voices heard, while respecting the other people of our city.
I did crowd control when I worked at Universal Studios, we had Universal Studios, and we had the Universal City Walk, and we had the Universal Ampitheatre, and we easily had 25,000 people per day at Universal Studios. I did Show Control for one year, and I learned a lot about how to do crowd control. And the people who do crowd control at concerts, etc, they need to teach the police departments. If you can handle 80,000 Slayer fans at the Rose Bowl then you can learn a lot about doing crowd control, and you can teach the police departments. And officers can train by working at rock concerts and stuff and helping to do crowd control.
We have a right to protest, but they do not have a right to burn and loot my neighborhood grocery store where we all buy our groceries. So, you block off that area, and you do not let the crowd near the grocery store, and that kind of thing. You control the crowds.
Here in Anaheim we had some arrests during the protests, but there was not any looting nor burning, and no one was killed, it all turned out okay. And the police department is learning more and more about how to do peaceful crowd control, etc.
Anaheim is a good city, I am lucky to live here, and the police are training hard to learn more about how to allow peaceful protests, while keeping our stores safe, etc.
Salute,
Tony V.
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