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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · 16d

A lot of folks in LA are rightly concerned about the federal administration's attacks on speech and the press. I think that makes it an especially important time to make sure our local leaders respect the First Amendment, too.

Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · 16d

I filed this case with @strugar.bsky.social last week on behalf of @shoton35mm.bsky.social, who LAPD kept threatening to arrest (and eventually did) for going into encampments to report on sweeps last fall.

www.latimes.com/california/s...

L.A. Taco journalist sues LAPD in latest allegation of police mistreatment of media

Lexis-Olivier Ray, an award-winning photojournalist for L.A. Taco, filed a civil rights lawsuit alleging Los Angeles officials have routinely interfered with his ability to properly document sweeps of...

www.latimes.com

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · 27d

The order is expanded from the TRO. It recognizes that LAPD has violated state laws meant to protect journalists, expands protections to explicitly include batons--- and expressly orders LAPD to assign a supervisor of Lt. or above to every protest whose primary duty is compliance with the order.

Order text reading: "At any protest to which LAPD deploys, the Department shall appoint at least one member of the Department at the rank of lieutenant or above, whose primary assignment shall be to ensure compliance with the terms of this Order and the Department’s legal obligations as to journalists. The Department shall provide Plaintiffs with the name, email, and a cell phone number for the assigned liaison officer to allow reporting and resolution of any possible violations of this Order."

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · 27d

Court recognizes that this is problem has persisted at LAPD for decades, right from the jump:

Order reading: "It is déjà vu all over again. Plaintiffs Los Angeles Press Club (“LA Press Club”) and Status Coup contend that, in the wake of this summer’s protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Police Department (“LAPD”) dispersed or targeted Plaintiffs’ members and other journalists in violation of state law and the First Amendment."

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · 27d

UPDATE: Federal court just issued a preliminary injunction against LAPD prohibiting them from using force against journalists who don't pose a threat:
drive.google.com/file/d/1CizO...

LAPC v City of LA - Order granting preliminary injunction.pdf

drive.google.com

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · 28d

Full order is here: drive.google.com/file/d/1wlkK...

LAPC v Noem - Order granting preliminary injunction.pdf

drive.google.com

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · 28d

The court just issued an order in case enjoining DHS from using force against peaceful protesters and from dispersing (or using force against) peaceful journalists and legal observers across seven counties in Southern California.

"The First Amendment demands better."

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jul 30

Interested if @jacklerner.bsky.social has any take on this, particularly in this context where it's not just economic damages but use for a political purpose you disagree with

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jul 11

Breaking! Federal court just granted our request for a Temporary Restraining Order prohibiting LAPD from using force against journalists who pose no threat and unconstitutionally limiting their access to covering protests in LA.

Order posted at link.
www.bibringlaw.com/news/federal...

Federal court issues Temporary Restraining Order prohibiting LAPD from abusing journalists | Law Office of Peter Bibring

www.bibringlaw.com

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jul 3

I talked with the NY Times for this powerful and disturbing piece, which clearly walks through two egregious uses of excessive force against protesters and the horrific impact on the two protesters hit.

www.nytimes.com/video/world/...

Video: How Los Angeles Police Officers Broke Protocols and Injured Protesters

A Times analysis of videos and interviews with police, protesters and legal experts found that officers misused 40-mm sponge rounds at immigration-raid protests.

www.nytimes.com

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 23

I'm proud to represent LA Press Club in this case, too, along with NewsGuild-CWA and dedicated journalists who risk personal harm to keep the public informed and protestors making their voices heard on the terrorizing ICE raids.

@lapressclub.bsky.social
@newsguild.org

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 23

This is the second case I’ve worked on arising out of these protests, and it's been great to work with ACLU SoCal, Carol Sobel and Paul Hoffman, and a fantastic team at BraunHageyBorden.

@aclusocal.bsky.social

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 23

Officers also misused crowd control weapons, like repeatedly shooting tear gas canisters so that they hit protestors and journalists, as happened to @acatwithnews.bsky.social

(Not-so-fun fact: direct impact from canisters is the leading cause of death from tear gas.)

bsky.app/profile/acat...

Sean Beckner-Carmitchel @acatwithnews.bsky.social · Jun 7

This is @melbuer.bsky.social on Sean’s account, posting here since it’s his video: the moment that Sean and @ryannemena.bsky.social were injured by what may have been a tear gas canister fired from a line of HSI officers in Paramount, CA.

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 23

DHS officers’ misuse of force has been astonishing. Federal officers repeatedly used rubber bullets, tear gas and pepperballs against journalists and protestors who posed no threat, including shooting pepperballs directly at journalists. From @shoton35mm.bsky.social.

bsky.app/profile/shot...

Shot On 35mm @shoton35mm.bsky.social · Jun 8

I thought I would be safe if I positioned myself with all the cable news crews off to the side away from all of the protesters. But nope. I was wrong. The feds shot pepper balls at us, forcing us down Alameda Street with everyone else. @lataco.bsky.social

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 23

Very proud to be part of this suit against DHS over the federal officers' outrageous targeting of protestors and journalists with excessive force in LA over the past two weeks. And it's great to be back working with my former colleagues at ACLU SoCal.

ACLU SoCal @aclusocal.bsky.social · Jun 20

BREAKING: We just sued the Department of Homeland Security over their use of excessive force against protesters, reporters and legal observers.

Exercising our rights to free speech should never be met with retaliatory attacks by federal agents.

We’ll see you in court, DHS.

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 17

So important! If we want courts to hold federal officials accountable for violating the law, Congress needs to fix this and ensure people whose rights are violated can sue for damages, or courts won't have the chance to decide what's constitutional and what's not.

Joanna Schwartz @jcschwartzprof.bsky.social · Jun 17

Consider this: Brad Lander won't be able to sue the ICE officers who arrested him because the Supreme Court has made it virtually impossible to sue federal officers.

In 2020, Congress considered - but did not pass - a bill that would have allowed such claims. www.politico.com/news/magazin...

Opinion | The Simple Way Congress Can Stop Federal Officials from Abusing Protesters

The Supreme Court gave people the right to sue federal officials for violating their rights. Now is the time for Congress to make it law.

www.politico.com

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 16

I’m also hanging my own (metaphorical) shingle in LA to do work on policing, public records, 1st Amendment. I’m excited for this chapter, and today’s filing is a great start.

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 16

I’m joining Julia Yoo and Gene Iredale at their practice in San Diego. They’re brilliant lawyers, fierce fighters, and wonderful colleagues, and I’m thrilled at the chance to work with them.

iredalelaw.com

Home | Iredale Law

iredalelaw.com

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 16

Oh, and some professional news: I left the LA County OIG in March to return to civil rights litigation. That work was fascinating, but I'm glad to be back.

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 16

Also very excited to work with the amazing
@adjoro.bsky.social whose tireless advocacy and work documenting attacks on & violations of journalists' rights drove the legislation on which it is based.

Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 16

I’m thrilled to be back litigating and working on this with Carol Sobel, Paul Hoffman, @facoalition.bsky.social and @davidloy.bsky.social, @susanseager.bsky.social and Weston Rowland

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 16

LAPD has a decades-long history of assaulting press who cover demonstrations (like their clearing of MacAurthur Park on May Day 2007), professing reform, then doing it again. It has to end.
laist.com/news/kpcc-ar...

Jury awards reporter $1.5M in May Day melee case

A local television camerawoman who accused LAPD police officers of using unreasonable force and injuring her during a pro-immigration rally in MacArthur Park three years ago was awarded more than $1.7...

laist.com

Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 16

The 1st A protects the press because they’re essential to democracy. But reporters can only cover abuses by police if they’re allowed into protests without being assaulted.

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 16

California law gives journalists a right to report when police close areas for protests. LAPD hasn’t gotten the memo. It also puts strict limits on police use of crowd control weapons against protestors and journalists alike. LAPD isn’t following that either.

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Peter Bibring @peterbibring.bsky.social · Jun 16

Over the past week, the world has seen LAPD shoot, gas, and hit reporters. Today, we sued them on behalf of @lapressclub.bsky.social and @statuscoupnews.bsky.social to protect journalists’ 1st Amendment rights.
drive.google.com/file/d/19wAG...

Complaint - LA Press Club v City of LA.pdf

drive.google.com

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