Free speech: Lawsuits over arrests of media and citizens aim to improve police practices

Three Atlanta citizens have filed lawsuits against the Atlanta police for violating the rights of media and citizens to engage in peaceful protests and reporting. The first case concerned a reporter taking photos of police arresting protesters. The second resulted from the police arresting a man wearing a mask that concealed his identity. The third involved a woman working for Cop Watch arrested for filming a police officer in a public place. (Atlanta Progressive News, September 24, 2015, by Gloria Tatum)

The lawyer representing all three plaintiffs says that the goal is to initiate more training for police in free speech rights especially in the context of heated protests. Atlanta is already in contempt for failing to provide court-ordered training after an incident in 2009. (Creative Loafing, September 25, 2015, by Sean Keenan)