Tell Your Gov. and Mayor: Protect Peaceful Protesters At All Costs!

©Star Tribune via Getty Images

We watched in horror this summer as U.S. law enforcement used heavy-duty riot gear and military-grade weapons to police and intimidate protesters at peaceful demonstrations across the country. Amnesty International documented 125 incidents of police violence against protesters across 40 states in less than two weeks.

Our government leaders have also failed to keep our communities safe from violence by quashing the right to peacefully dissent, and not condemning armed hate and white supremacy groups.

Peaceful dissent is a cornerstone of freedom. It is a right, not a privilege. But that right is under attack — and right now, we must pull out all the stops to defend it.

As we approach the potential for more demonstrations in the aftermath of the elections, we must turn to our state and local leaders who oversee police departments and decide whether to deploy the National Guard in their communities.

Sign below to urge your governor and mayor: I demand you protect the right to peacefully protest and dissent, and take special measures to keep your constituents and communities safe from violence and armed intimidation.

⬇ Make Your Voice Heard ⬇

To {contact_data~firstName} {contact_data~lastName},

I'm writing to you today as your constituent and a human rights supporter to demand that you do everything in your power to protect the right to peacefully protest -- and that you take special measures to keep your constituents and communities safe from violence and armed intimidation, including around the elections.

Everyone has the right to peacefully dissent. Free speech, peaceful assembly, and an independent press are vital freedoms. They are rights -- not privileges. But these rights are under attack. And as our elected leaders, you must pull out all the stops to defend them.

I call on my mayor and governor to respect, protect, and fulfill these human rights by doing the following:

1. Protect and facilitate the right to peacefully protest:

- Instruct your police departments to follow Amnesty International’s best practices on the policing of demonstrations, and immediately send them (and city council members) this guidance: www.amnestyusa.org/good-practice-for-law-enforcement-officials-policing-demonstrations 
    
    - Demilitarize your police departments. Do not equip them in a manner more appropriate for a battlefield.  
    
    - Do not use excessive force military-grade weapons. Chemical agents like tear gas can result in serious injury or even death. They should only be used as a last resort, with advanced oral warning, sufficient time to disperse, and all precautions taken to protect those at high risk and avoid harm.
    
    - Do not deploy the National Guard for the policing of protests, unless trained on these protocols.

2. Denounce racism, discrimination, and hate -- and take special measures to protect individuals and communities from armed groups:

- Publicly denounce racist, xenophobic rhetoric and incitement to violence, and condemn armed private groups using hateful rhetoric and threatening intimidation and harm. Make it clear that such armed private groups are NOT authorized to protect the public, and that they pose a risk to the human rights and public safety of others.
    
    - If you haven’t already, institute an immediate ban on firearms at and around polling locations, to ensure the safety of voters and poll workers and ensure no voter intimidation occurs. 
    
    - Temporarily prohibit the open and concealed carry of firearms in public, including parks, recreational areas, and other gathering spaces.

I urge you to hold your police departments accountable especially in the coming days and weeks -- excessive force must NOT be used, and police MUST allow protests to proceed peacefully as required by both U.S. and international law.

I, along with thousands of other concerned people, am calling on you to step up and ensure that individuals are safe in their communities ALL of the time.

Your constituents are watching. The world is watching.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}

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