The American Civil Liberties Union announced on Wednesday that it had filed a class-action lawsuit and requested that a Minnesota court protect journalists who have been targeted by local police while covering unrest stemming from the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, by a Minneapolis police officer last month.
It details several instances of police violence, including the case of reporter Linda Tirado, who lost the use of one eye after an officer shot her in the face with a rubber bullet.
Wednesday’s filing seeks protection for journalists from being targeted by the police; damages for injured journalists; and affirmation from the court that journalists are exempted from the state’s curfew, as the law indicates.
In many instances, police have used excessive force, tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets against protesters and credentialed members of the press.
In announcing Wednesday’s court filing, the ACLU said it intends to file similar lawsuits in states across the all HuffPost superfans!
