Activists face felonies for distributing flyers on “Cop City” protester killing

>The flyer, according to the lawyer, named a police officer who lives in the area where the activists were arrested and alleged he was connected to the killing in January of forest defender Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán during a multi-agency raid on the Atlanta Forest protest encampment.

>[...] According to public records, one of the officers named lives in the area where the activists posted flyers. [...]

Sounds like they weren't just trying to raise awareness about the killing, they're trying to out the specific officers involved, in the very neighborhood that the officer lived. In other words, they're basically trying to dox them. IANAL but that plausible could be considered "intimidation".

Re: Activists face felonies for distributing flyers on “Cop City” protester killing

#7

Post by yokem55 » Thu, May 04, 2023, 3:52 AM UTC

gruez wrote: post #6

>The flyer, according to the lawyer, named a police officer who lives in the area where the activists were arrested and alleged he was connected to the killing in January of forest defender Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán during a multi-agency raid on the Atlanta Forest protest encampment. >[...] According to public records, one of the officers named lives in the area where the activists posted flyers. [...] Sounds like th…

It seems to me that posting flyers on mailboxes on the side of a street, without approaching any other people or or their property is pretty explicitly an excercise in free speech. Especially when describing public information about public officials.

Arresting those folks, putting them in solitary confinement, and holding them without bond when they were arrested for a non-violent charge and have no previous criminal record - that is more of an intimidation tactic than any fliers could be.

Re: Activists face felonies for distributing flyers on “Cop City” protester killing

#8

Post by l3mure » Thu, May 04, 2023, 4:13 AM UTC

gruez wrote: post #6

>The flyer, according to the lawyer, named a police officer who lives in the area where the activists were arrested and alleged he was connected to the killing in January of forest defender Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán during a multi-agency raid on the Atlanta Forest protest encampment. >[...] According to public records, one of the officers named lives in the area where the activists posted flyers. [...] Sounds like th…

Sure, sure. Next it'll be "intimidation" to take a picture of an officer's badge -- which they already routinely obscure. There's nothing police hate more than accountability. Pick up that can.

> [...] the city of Los Angeles has sued a local journalist and an activist group over the online publication of undercover LAPD officers’ pictures — images the city had itself provided.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-04-06/la-offic...

Re: Activists face felonies for distributing flyers on “Cop City” protester killing

#9

Post by midoridensha » Thu, May 04, 2023, 4:30 AM UTC

pshirshov wrote: post #4

Oh, that reminds me russia so much.

The US is much more similar to Russia and China than most Americans realize.

Re: Activists face felonies for distributing flyers on “Cop City” protester killing

#10

Post by flangola7 » Thu, May 04, 2023, 4:34 AM UTC

gruez wrote: post #6

>The flyer, according to the lawyer, named a police officer who lives in the area where the activists were arrested and alleged he was connected to the killing in January of forest defender Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán during a multi-agency raid on the Atlanta Forest protest encampment. >[...] According to public records, one of the officers named lives in the area where the activists posted flyers. [...] Sounds like th…

"Doxxing" is a meaningless word, legally. I can put anyone's name and street address up on a billboard as long as I didn't aquire it through privileged means (such as if I was a records clerk at their medical clinic).

Even the bar to winning civil libel is very high. Putting up the names of public officials who you believe committed evil acts during the course of their pubic duties is extremely well inside the bounds of the first amendment and probably one is the most protected forms of speech there is.