Just about everything’s closed because of the coronavirus and COVID-19, and everyone’s hunkering down at home. So what’s a good social distancer supposed to do?
Fans of the First Amendment will want to join the ACLU of Wyoming for its volunteer legal observer training. Virtual training, of course.
The right to join with fellow citizens in protest or peaceful assembly is critical to a functioning democracy and at the core of the First Amendment. Unfortunately, law enforcement officials sometimes violate this right through means intended to thwart free public expression.
That’s why legal observers – and this online training via the Zoom virtual webinar platform – is so important.
“Legal observers act as visible witnesses at demonstrations, rallies and other free speech events, documenting any incidents of police misconduct or violations of constitutional rights,” said Antonio Serrano, advocacy manager for the ACLU of Wyoming. “Legal observers are committed to defending free speech in a way that is as objective as possible so that their documentation can be used as evidence if police misconduct or obstructions to constitutionally protected free speech are challenged in court.”
IF YOU GO
WHAT: ACLU of Wyoming legal observer training
WHEN: 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 6
WHERE: Your couch. Or kitchen counter. Or wherever you have Internet access. The training will be conducted via the Zoom webinar system.
TO REGISTER: Go to www.aclu-wy.org/events (Participants must register to be granted access.)
About the ACLU of Wyoming
The American Civil Liberties Union of Wyoming is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of Wyoming is part of a three-state chapter that also includes North Dakota and South Dakota. The team in Wyoming is supported by staff in those states.
The ACLU believes freedoms of press, speech, assembly, and religion, and the rights to due process, equal protection and privacy, are fundamental to a free people. In addition, the ACLU seeks to advance constitutional protections for groups traditionally denied their rights, including people of color, women, and the LGBT communities. The ACLU of Wyoming carries out its work through selective litigation, lobbying at the state and local level, and through public education and awareness of what the Bill of Rights means for the people of Wyoming.
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