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G_j

(40,366 posts)
Sun May 3, 2015, 12:45 PM May 2015

NLG-Maryland Decries Arrests of 12 Legal Observers at May 2 Protests; Calls Curfew "Unconstitutional

Last edited Sun May 3, 2015, 03:14 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.nlg.org/news/releases/nlg-maryland-decries-arrests-12-legal-observers-may-2-protests-calls-curfew

NLG-Maryland Decries Arrests of 12 Legal Observers at May 2 Protests; Calls Curfew "Unconstitutional"
For immediate release:

May 3, 2015

Colin Starger
National Lawyers Guild, Maryland Chapter
Colinstarger@gmail.com
917-749-7867

BALTIMORE—The Maryland Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) decries the arrests of twelve NLG Legal Observers on Saturday night. Wearing clearly identifiable green hats with the words “National Lawyers Guild Legal Observer” printed on them, these neutral observers were documenting police behavior during the enforcement of Baltimore’s curfew. It is well known that NLG observers do not participate in protests and are trained to never interfere with the police. The harsh and unjustified action of the police in arresting neutral observers directly illustrates the counterproductive and unconstitutional nature of curfews generally.

National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Coordinator, Abi Hassen explained, “the events of Saturday night vividly illustrate how the curfew itself created the very problems it purported to solve. Curfews are an unacceptable exercise of police force and violence that promise to provoke rather than quell further resentment and unrest.”

“The Constitution does not have office hours. No city should be in the practice of revoking ts peoples’ First Amendment and other constitutional rights,” says NLG Maryland Mass Defense Committee member and University of Baltimore Assistant Professor of Law Colin Starger.


Contacts:
Colin Starger (See above)

Abi Hassen, NLG Mass Defense Coordinator
abi@nlg.org, (347) 470-5859

Download PDF from nlgmaryland.org
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NLG-Maryland Decries Arrests of 12 Legal Observers at May 2 Protests; Calls Curfew "Unconstitutional (Original Post) G_j May 2015 OP
The curfew has been lifted as of today. nt B2G May 2015 #1
that's good news G_j May 2015 #2
Wonder if this is why they called the curfew off immediately? jwirr May 2015 #3
I doubt it had much to do with the NLG's statement, G_j May 2015 #4
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