This past Friday (April 25th)
I attended a Legal Observer training session on the Marquette University campus
in Cudahy Hall Room 137 headed by Emilio De Torre of the American Civil
Liberties Union. According to Emilio’s presentation “Legal Observers are individuals,
usually representatives of civilian human rights agencies, who attend public
demonstrations, protests and other activities where there is a potential for
conflict between the public or activists and the police, security guards or
other law enforcement personnel. The purpose of legal observers is to monitor,
record and report any unlawful or improper behavior by the police.” Basically,
as a Legal Observer I will function as a witness coordinating with the ACLU of
events at protests, demonstrations, strikes, counter-protests, and elections to
monitor First Amendment Rights violations. I will observe and document varying events, as well as educate the public about their rights.
The ACLU expects their Legal Observer volunteers to remain impartial at protests and demonstrations in order to document the events as true to reality as possible. As representatives of the ACLU Legal Observers are not allowed to break any part of the law themselves, wether that be through inciting violence or riots with officers or even public urination. Drugs, alcohol, and weapons are to be left at home as well as one’s opinions on any issue. The most important thing is to record as much information as possible about the events that transpire the day of an event to provide a well documented description of it and serve as witnesses if necessary. It is also crucial to record information about the officers present and the situation itself (badge numbers, officer names and rank, license plates, types of vehicles, etc.). Smart phones are to be used to record events as they happen in real time, and Twitter updates can be a critical element in communicating a non-objective illustration of the situation.
Ideally, as a Legal Observer I will never be detained myself, however Emilio did relate that at times the passion and intensity of these situations can lead to trouble. The best thing to do is to know your own rights when dealing with police (which he clearly communicated in his class visit the other day) and stand your ground when berated by police (they do have the law on their side when it comes to bending the truth). The greatest thing I can offer is impartially on behalf of the people who have the potential to be physically and socially oppressed by unlawful treatment. Without someone to monitor those in power, these situations have the likelihood of becoming unjust, as the strong oppress the weak. As a protestor or activist knowledge is power, as well as an impartial Legal Observer who can help keep the opposition in check. I intend on attending the May Day March organized by the immigrant and workers rights organization Voces de la Frontera on behalf of the ACLU as a Legal Observer if at all possible on May first.
The ACLU expects their Legal Observer volunteers to remain impartial at protests and demonstrations in order to document the events as true to reality as possible. As representatives of the ACLU Legal Observers are not allowed to break any part of the law themselves, wether that be through inciting violence or riots with officers or even public urination. Drugs, alcohol, and weapons are to be left at home as well as one’s opinions on any issue. The most important thing is to record as much information as possible about the events that transpire the day of an event to provide a well documented description of it and serve as witnesses if necessary. It is also crucial to record information about the officers present and the situation itself (badge numbers, officer names and rank, license plates, types of vehicles, etc.). Smart phones are to be used to record events as they happen in real time, and Twitter updates can be a critical element in communicating a non-objective illustration of the situation.
Ideally, as a Legal Observer I will never be detained myself, however Emilio did relate that at times the passion and intensity of these situations can lead to trouble. The best thing to do is to know your own rights when dealing with police (which he clearly communicated in his class visit the other day) and stand your ground when berated by police (they do have the law on their side when it comes to bending the truth). The greatest thing I can offer is impartially on behalf of the people who have the potential to be physically and socially oppressed by unlawful treatment. Without someone to monitor those in power, these situations have the likelihood of becoming unjust, as the strong oppress the weak. As a protestor or activist knowledge is power, as well as an impartial Legal Observer who can help keep the opposition in check. I intend on attending the May Day March organized by the immigrant and workers rights organization Voces de la Frontera on behalf of the ACLU as a Legal Observer if at all possible on May first.
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