The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against Portland last week over the Portland Police Bureau’s use of video recordings of the ongoing demonstrations.
Violence and civil unrest have raged in Portland for more than two consecutive months.
“Oregon is not a surveillance state,” the documents read. “With this action, [the ACLU of Oregon] seeks to eliminate a practice by the City of Portland and the Portland Police Bureau that threatens to turn it into one.”
The lawsuit was filed by the ACLU on behalf of an individual identified only as “Protester #1.″ The suit states that the individual has been a part of the downtown Portland demonstrations regularly, often standing in front of PPB officers.
“During the protest, a PPB camera captured Protester #1′s image, which it livestreamed publicly on the internet,” the lawsuit reads. “At the time, Protester #1 was not aware that PPB was filming the crowd. Had Protester #1 known of PPB’s filming, Protester #1 would not have consented to it.”
The ACLU claims the PPB is in violation of an Oregon statute that bars law enforcement from collecting and maintaining data on individuals based on their religious, political or social activities when no criminal activity is suspected.
It is asking the PPB be prohibited from live streaming or recording the demonstrations, except in a criminal investigation or with reasonable suspicion of such activity.
Photo by PBB