News & Commentary
Jun 04, 2020
ACLU Blasts Discriminatory Enforcement of Providence's Emergency Curfew
The ACLU of Rhode Island today blasted the City of Providence’s continuing implementation of a weeklong State of Emergency and nighttime curfew for city residents and called for its immediate repeal after learning that city licensing officials advised local restaurants that they remain
Jun 04, 2020
DLT Agrees to Take Interim Action to Address Lack of Notice over Frozen Unemployment Payments
The state Department of Labor and Training has agreed to take a series of interim steps to begin rectifying the situation faced by thousands of residents whose unemployment insurance benefit payments were frozen without notice or explanation as part of a fraud investigation. The agreement came at a court hearing late yesterday before U.S. District Judge William Smith on a request by ACLU of Rhode Island attorneys for a temporary restraining order against the state.
Jun 02, 2020
ACLU of RI Statement on Imposition of Curfews in Providence, Cranston and Warwick
Below is the ACLU of Rhode Island's statement in response to the adoption today of curfew orders by the cities of Cranston, Providence and Warwick:
May 28, 2020
ACLU Sues Narragansett Over Unlawful Assault and Arrest of Special Education Student
ACLU of Rhode Island cooperating attorney Amato DeLuca filed suit in federal court seeking monetary damages on behalf of a former Narragansett High School student with special education needs who was thrown to the ground, choked and falsely arrested by a school resource officer (SRO) over a rude hand gesture the student gave the SRO. A videotaped record of the incident, which occurred two years ago, shows SRO Kyle Rooney forcefully slamming to the floor and restraining 11th-grader Michael Blanchette for a few minutes before removing him from the school in handcuffs.
May 27, 2020
ACLU Sues Over Frozen Unemployment Insurance Payments
ACLU of Rhode Island cooperating attorneys Ellen Saideman and Lynette Labinger today filed a class-action lawsuit challenging the state Department of Labor and Training’s (DLT) actions in summarily freezing weekly unemployment insurance benefit payments to hundreds of Rhode Islanders without any notice or explanation.
Mar 19, 2020
ACLU Takes Legal Action on Behalf of African-American Recruit Drummed Out of PVD Police Academy
An ACLU of Rhode Island cooperating attorney has filed a charge of race discrimination against the Providence Police Department on behalf of an African-American recruit who was involuntarily dismissed last year from the Police Academy just a few weeks before graduation and after enduring months of harassment from trainers at the Academy. ACLU cooperating attorney Laura Harrington has today also filed a formal claim for damages with the City as a legal prerequisite to the filing of a lawsuit on behalf of the recruit, Michael Clark.
Mar 12, 2020
ACLU Sues DMV Over Ability to Censor “Offensive” Vanity Plates
YOU CAN BE “FATTY” BUT NOT “CHUBBY”; “TIPSY” BUT NOT “DRUNK”; ADVERTISE “HEAVEN” BUT NOT “HELL”; SAY “DOGDOO” BUT NOT “DOOBIE”; BE AN “OLDFRT” BUT NOT A “JOCKY”; AND PROUDLY TRUMPET “FRIAR” BUT NOT “HOOSIER”
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