News & Commentary

St. Louis— The ACLU of Missouri calls on Mayor-Elect Tishaura Jones to begin her administration with an intention to address persistent First Amendment violations by the St. Louis City Police Department. Yesterday, a federal judge ordered City officers to stop enforcing two ordinances that restrict political activity in parks. If left unaddressed, several recent court decisions will force the City to defend the Department’s policies in upcoming trials. The incoming administration has an opportunity to resolve litigation facing the City collaboratively by adopting and enforcing policy changes to end the Department’s hostile mistreatment of protestors.

St. Louis—On Wednesday, March 31, Judge Audrey G. Fleissig of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri ruled that an ACLU of Missouri lawsuit filed against St. Louis City police officers and the City of St. Louis challenging the use of chemical munitions after a protest should move forward to a jury trial. The lawsuit alleges that the deployment of chemical munitions from a military-grade armored vehicle in 2015—after the plaintiffs had dispersed from a protest following the killing of Mansur Ball-Bey by a St. Louis City officer—was retaliation in violation of the First Amendment. 

The ACLU of Missouri congratulates Tishaura Jones on her historic victory.  We look forward to holding her accountable throughout her administration to expand and protect civil liberties in St. Louis. This work begins day one- starting with an ambitious 100 day campaign to ensure community control over police surveillance, decriminalize low-level offenses, and close the Workhouse. 

For a healthy democracy to operate as constitutionally intended, it must be transparent and legislators need to hear various citizens' input with different opinions and life experiences.

ACLU is Asking the Next Mayor to Close the Workhouse, Increase Oversight of Police Surveillance and Decriminalize Misdemeanors

ACLU Will Reach Over 200,000 Registered Voters in St. Louis

Judge Gives Legislature Four Months to Fix the Problem

On Tuesday, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals found that two St. Louis County police officers violated the Fourth Amendment rights of Jon Luer and Andrea Steinebach by illegally entering their home in the middle of the night without warrant and confronting them at gunpoint.

What we saw in the US Capitol last week serves as a call to action for all Missourians. Wednesday’s insurrection was inspired by the President’s false claims about the election and by federal, state, and local government officials that continued to elevate his lies.