PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

ACLU vs. Secret Service
by FreeSpeechAdvocate Tuesday, Sep. 23, 2003 at 6:05 PM

Today a lawsuit was filed by the ACLU charging the Secret Service with discrimination against protesters in violation of their free speech rights.

Today a lawsuit was filed by the ACLU charging the Secret Service with discrimination against protesters in violation of their free speech rights. This lawsuit is an absolutely unprecedented nationwide lawsuit. The ACLU charges officials under the Bush Administration with developing a �pattern and practice� of discrimination against protesters and all those who disagree with government policies. They also allege that local police, acting at the direction of the Secret Service, have violated the rights of protesters as well. In some cases protesters were moved away from public officials while other civilians not voicing any dissent were allowed to remain closer, while in others everyone expressing a view, whatever view that may be, were herded into a �protest zone� leaving only those who were willing to observe quietly in the forefront. This case originated and was filed in Philadelphia, where the ACLU of Pennsylvania sought enforcement of a 1988 decree requiring officials to treat protesters fairly earlier this year. Today�s action is amending that lawsuit to include similar incidents across the nation. The national lawsuit names the Secret Service as the federal defendant, as well as the Philadelphia Police Department for its role in the demonstrations in that city. The ACLU lists more than a dozen examples of police censorship at events across the nation, charging that each had been initiated at the prompting of the Secret Service and that these incidents are increasing.

For more information, see:

http://www.aclu.org/FreeSpeech/FreeSpeech.cfm?ID=13699&c=86

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