ACLU Sues Town of Portsmouth over Political Sign Ban

We have filed a challenged to a Portsmouth town ordinance banning the posting of political signs on residential, private property.

DiPaola Signs

ACLU Calls for Stronger Action to Address “Persistent” Providence Police Body Camera Violations

Citing repeated instances of police not activating body worn cameras in encounters with the public, the ACLU of RI has called on PVD Pubic Safety Commissioner Paré and Police Chief Clements to take stronger steps to enforce the department’s body camera policy.

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Education Commissioner Bars School District from Punishing Children for the “Sins of the Father”

RI Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante-Green has ruled that the N. Kingstown school district could not ban students from in-school learning because their parents had let them attend school while their father was waiting for his COVID test results.

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Court Approves Settlement Restoring Equal Opportunities for Women in Brown Univ. Athletics

A federal court gave final approval to a settlement agreement between Brown University and athletes resolving the class-action legal challenge to the school's decision to cut women’s teams from its varsity athletics program.

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Civil Rights Groups Decry Downplaying of Racial Disparities in Police Stops & Searches

Frustrated by the release of annual reports that minimize racial profiling patterns, three civil rights groups issued a letter urging significant amendments to the state law requiring the data analysis and reports.

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ACLU Challenges Woonsocket Polling Place Relocation

The ACLU has filed a complaint letter with the RI Board of Elections over a decision by the Woonsocket Board of Canvassers to move a polling place with a large number of non-white and low-income voters to a location outside the district.

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Report Calling for Decriminalization of Sex Work Cites RI's History

The ACLU has issued a report calling for the decriminalization of sex work, relying in part on evidence from a period of time in RI when indoor sex work was technically legal in the state.

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ACLU Responds to Alleged Providence Police Assault of Civilian

The ACLU of RI has issued a statement in response to the release of a report by the Providence External Review Authority investigating an assault charge against Sgt. Joseph Hanley.

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Court Rules That Ban on “Offensive” License Plates Likely Violates First Amendment

A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction in support of our lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a state law that gives the DMV Administrator carte blanche authority to deny vanity license plates.

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