Category: Civil Rights
Hundreds of Arizona schools report inaccurate civil rights data, violate federal law
by Sam Kmack, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting June 14, 2021 PHOENIX—Hundreds of Arizona’s public schools failed to report accurate civil rights data to the U.S. Department of Education for the 2017-2018 school year, a violation…
Warning against further erosion of civil liberties, Tlaib leads charge against new domestic terrorism laws
“While many may find comfort in increased national security powers in the wake of this attack, we must emphasize that we have been here before and we have seen where that road leads.” by Kenny Stancil,…
Federal agents sent to Kenosha, but history shows militarized policing in cities can escalate violence and trigger conflict
Sending in the feds to quell unrest often increases conflict on the ground, as it did this summer in Portland, Ore. Nathan Howard/Getty Images by Angélica Durán-Martínez, University of Massachusetts Lowell August 31 The U.S. Justice…
Tennessee to strip right to vote from protesters
‘If our votes didn’t matter they wouldn’t work so hard to silence us.’ ‘This is the Opposite of What Americans Fought a Revolution For’ by Common Dreams staff Sunday, August 23, 2020 Tennessee protesters will face…
“Defendant shall not attend protests”: In Portland, getting out of jail requires relinquishing Constitutional Rights
A dozen protesters facing federal charges are barred from going to “public gatherings” as a condition of release from jail — a tactic one expert described as “sort of hilariously unconstitutional.” by Dara Lind July 28,…
How to hide from a drone – the subtle art of ‘ghosting’ in the age of surveillance
When DHS redirects large, fixed-wing drones from the U.S.-Mexico border to monitor protests, and when towns experiment with using drones to test people for fevers, it’s time to think about how many eyes are in the…
Trump pledges to deploy Secret Police units to major US cities
‘Fascism Coming to a City Near You’ The president also praised federal agents for doing a “fantastic job” with a widely condemned crackdown on Portland, Oregon. by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Monday, July 20, 2020, 2PM…
How a Key Federal Civil Rights Agency Was Sidelined as Historic Protests Erupted
Launched by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964, the Community Relations Service has been without a director and short-staffed during recent unrest. The Trump administration has repeatedly tried to eliminate the agency. by A.C. Thompson and Robert…
Civil liberties advocates applaud IBM decision to ditch facial recognition
“This huge IBM move will force other large tech companies to take a stand, even if their silence is their statement.” by Eoin Higgins, staff writer Tuesday, June 9 Tech giant IBM is getting out of…
“When They Say We Don’t Have the Right to Protest,” Says Naomi Klein, “That’s the Moment to Flood the Streets”
As Trump declares “law and order” clampdown against peaceful demonstrations, author and activist reminds people of most important lesson she’s learned studying history of shock doctrine tactics. by Jon Queally, staff writer Thursday, June 4 Amid…
Global protests erupt in solidarity with racial justice crusaders in US
“Police brutality has created a flashpoint for unrest that was already simmering,” read an editorial published Monday in The Times of London. by Julia Conley, staff writer Monday, June 1 People in a number of international…
Birthed by HBCU students, this organization offers important lessons for today’s student activists
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) founded 60 years ago today. Jelani Favors, Clayton State University April 15, 2020 marks 60 years since the founding of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, perhaps better known as SNCC,…
