Last Tuesday, September 17th, the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition held its monthly meeting at the UCLA Downtown Labor Center and shared its “Surveillance 101” Presentation. Over 45 participants attended and learned about LAPD spying and how we can stop it together.
On Thursday, October 10th, 10 am at City Hall, we will return to the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission and continue to pressure this city-wide body to hold public hearings on Special Order 1 and local police spying. We need your help. Come out on October 10th and speak out to stop LAPD spying. Stay tuned for more information about this action, as well as our call/email/fax-in days, banner-drops, and other actions to pressure the Human Relations Commission to do the right thing. Together we can fight and win.
Suspicious Activity Reporting in the News
This week, NPR aired a story on the national Suspicious Activity Reporting program and how everyday folks are caught in the surveillance web for ordinary things like taking pictures. The ACLU, through a Public Records Act request, was able to secure the release of a large amount of actual Suspicious Activity Reports. These reports document the detention, questioning, and investigation of people for engaging in innocent activities.
The Public Records Act requests filed by the National Lawyers Guild; Hadsell Stormer Richardson & Renick; and Advancing Justice Los Angeles on behalf of the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition resulted in non-responsive and often conflicting responses/data. We applaud the ACLU’s success in obtaining these data which confirm our belief that SARs are a waste of resources and an encroachment on our rights.
Upcoming Meetings
Coordinating Team – Sept 30th, 6pm Advancing Justice Los Angeles, 1145 Wilshire Blvd.
Outreach Working Group – Oct.1st, 5pm LACAN, 530 S. Main Street
History and Research- Oct 9th, 7pm F Squared Spring st. Downtown.
Communications Working Group – Oct. 12th, 4pm F Square Printing, 519 S Spring St