Today, LDF sent a letter urging state and local elected officials to take all available measures and precautions to safeguard the rights and safety of people protesting in your community. In the past week, peaceful protesters in Los Angeles have been met with the use of force and military deployments. State violence against political dissent is not new or limited to these events and has been taking place in communities across the country under the watch of state and local officials for far too long. Peaceful protesters have been met with arrests, use of force, tear gas, and rubber bullets. Recent settlements, complaints, and findings in cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Louisville demonstrate a longstanding truth: the policing of protests too often devolves into unconstitutional conduct, especially when protesters demand justice for people of color.
In light of escalating aggression and rhetoric directed at protesters, LDF urges officials to take steps to protect peaceful demonstrators and political dissenters. These include avoiding the use of curfews, working with law enforcement leaders to curtail the use of arrests and force, and revising policies and agreements that govern protest responses to ensure they adequately protect protesters’ rights.
Read the full letter here.
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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation’s first civil rights law organization. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957 — although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.
