The police detentions of two journalists covering Atlanta’s public safety training center protests are now in a national press-freedom violation database and have been condemned by a statewide journalism group.
Tag: First Amendment
Posted inColumns, John Ruch
Introducing the Stanley Awards for Georgia’s worst suppressions of First Amendment and open government
I’m proud to announce the debut of the Stanley Suppression Awards for Georgia’s worst attempts to stifle First Amendment activity and cloud government transparency.
Posted inLatest News
APD opens internal investigation into journalist’s detention during training center protest coverage
The Atlanta Police Department is investigating its detention of a protest-documenting journalist that civil rights attorneys say violated the First Amendment.
Posted inColumns, John Ruch
Protester terrorism charges come amid legal battle over other arrests of demonstrators, journalists
By John Ruch Concerns about biased policing of public safety training center protests sparked by remarks from the Atlanta Police Department’s (APD) second-in-command fit into a bigger picture that includes a pending lawsuit alleging illegal arrests of protesters and targeting at least two journalists documenting them. The lawsuit’s allegations include retaliatory arrests for engaging in […]
Posted inLatest News
APD assistant chief’s commentary on protesters and terrorism raise red flags for civil liberties attorneys
Commentary by the Atlanta Police Department’s second-in-command about terrorism charges against public safety training center protesters could endanger First Amendment rights and open the City to lawsuits, two prominent civil rights attorneys say.
Posted inColumns, John Ruch
With a new General Assembly elected, beware of bills assaulting the First Amendment
With a newly elected Georgia General Assembly set to meet in January, it’s not too early to start warning it away from the kind of First Amendment assault we saw in last year’s session.
Posted inLatest News
Public safety training center committee attempts to remove skeptical member while construction remains secret
The advisory committee for Atlanta’s public safety training center has started a legally questionable process of kicking off a member for publicly criticizing its work. The DeKalb County official who appointed that member opposes the move and questions why the committee is not circulating information about the now secretive final site plan and construction permit applications.
Posted inLatest News
Public safety training center committee’s media-talk ban is based on unenforced Athens-Clarke policy
An attempt by the chair of the Atlanta public safety training center’s advisory committee to ban other members from speaking to the media is based on an Athens-Clarke County government policy posted on a website, internal emails reveal. But an Athens-Clarke spokesperson says that policy is not enforced and that its committee members talk freely to the press.
Posted inColumns
Public safety training center advisory committee responds to debate with ban on members talking to media
News of Atlanta’s controversial public safety training center getting a final site plan was hard to hear over the sound of political tensions bursting at a January Community Stakeholder Advisory Committee (CSAC) meeting. The chair announced a ban on members speaking to the media – a move one expert says likely violates First Amendment free-speech rights.
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Cityhood efforts, development authorities need more transparency, lawmakers say
More transparency is needed for Georgia’s cityhood movements and development authorities — but not for the General Assembly itself, two state lawmakers said at a Jan. 27 open-government event.
