Legal observers document large Milwaukee protest

On the afternoon of Tuesday, January 6th, five volunteers and staff from the ACLU of Wisconsin stood in the Milwaukee rain and slush making certain that the approximately 230 protesters who had gathered to protest Israel’s actions in Gaza were able to exercise their Constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms of speech and assembly.

Milwaukee protest, 1/6/09
ACLU legal observers document protesters' rights
Legal Observers work as non-partisan legal witnesses at protests, demonstrations, elections and other events to apprise people of their rights and record any unusual or unlawful actions perpetrated by law enforcement.

ACLU volunteer makes notes about protest details
“We’re not here to make any judgment regarding the opinions of the protesters: we’re here making sure they can exercise their right to protest”, said Emilio De Torre, Youth and Program Director for the ACLU of WI. “You can see us all around the state. We’re the ones with the bright yellow shirts that say “legal observers” and the tattoos that say, “attorney work product”.

Emilio coordinates legal observation with a volunteer
For more information about how to become a non-partisan legal observer, contact Emilio in the Milwaukee office or Stacy in Madison.