ACLU wants Providence police to stop recording peaceful protests

January 23, 2015 8:02 pm

By: Samantha Lavien
Slavien@abc6.com
Twitter: SLavienABC6

The Rhode Island chapter of the ACLU is calling for Providence Police Officer’s to stop filming demonstrators at peaceful protests.

“Protestors certainly have a first amendment right to be doing these peaceful demonstrations. We are very concerned that they are being treated at as potential criminals,” said Hillary Davis, a policy associate with the ACLU.

Davis says protestors feel police are trying to intimidate them by filming.

“Protestors have begun feeling a little bit concerned about how those videos are being used and they’ve stated that they’ve felt intimated,” said Davis.

She says the big concern is the lack of transparency over the department’s surveillance procedures.

“If the Providence police feel that this is something they need to do then they need to be able to explain to the public exactly why they need to do it and what those videos are being used for,” said Davis.

Davis says when she requested that information she was told there are no policies in place.

The city’s public safety commissioner, Steven Pare, released the following statement to ABC 6 News:

“The Providence Police Department both respects and is committed to protecting the First Amendment right to safe, lawful assembly for all. Videotaping public gatherings is an established practice used by law enforcement and public safety agencies in cities throughout the United States. The footage obtained is only reviewed for investigative purposes in instances in which criminal activity has occurred.”