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Police and military personnel in full riot gear stand blocking protestors at a demonstration protesting the Mount Rushmore National Monument and the visit of US President Donald Trump.

Congress Must Seize This Chance to Help Demilitarize Law Enforcement

A bipartisan Senate amendment would restrict the transfer of US military equipment to law enforcement, including items from bayonets to weaponized drones.
Police in full riot gear, some wearing masks and others not, stand in a row on July 1, 2020 in New York City.

Black Security and the Conundrum of Policing

We are in a new phase of the long police reform debate. Over decades, opaque spending, police staffing practices, expansion of criminal codes, and other factors have made some…
Police officers pepper spray people next to the Colorado State Capitol as protests against the death of George Floyd continue for a third night on May 30, 2020 in Denver, Colorado.

Less Lethal than Firearms, But Only if Used Appropriately

Sometimes, as in the shooting of Rayshard Brooks by an Atlanta law enforcement officer, deaths involve police use of firearms. But as the killing of George Floyd has also demonstrated,…
Police stand at a crosswalk in front of a building with a chain link and tarp fence which protesters have written on.

Why the Calls to Deploy Military Force in the US Protests Weren’t Surprising

Trump's and Cotton's rhetoric might be extreme, but the concepts they espouse are simply a culmination of a trend unfolding over at least 50 years.
Protesters take video and photos of police in helmets and respirators on June 14, 2020 in Richmond, United States.

Black Lives Matter Might Just Rescue American Democracy

The movement forces Americans to recognize and confront the deep and longstanding connection between racist and authoritarian violence.
The president of the Human Rights Council, Austrian Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, wearing a protective facemask attends a press conference during the resuming of a UN Human Rights Council session after it interruption in March over the coronavirus pandemic on June 15, 2020 in Geneva.

The UN Should Establish a Commission of Inquiry on Systemic Racism and Law Enforcement in the United States

A strong call from the U.N. Special Expert on Contemporary Forms of Racism, professor E. Tendayi Achiume.
A demonstrator walks in front of a row of military police members wearing riot gear as they push back demonstrators outside of the White House, June 1, 2020 in Washington D.C.

Statement of Homeland and National Security Leaders

Former Republican and Democratic cabinet members and other senior officials speak out about protests, use of the military, racial justice, and policing.
Trump walks with US Attorney General William Barr (L), US Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper (C), Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark A. Milley (R), and others from the White House to St. John's Church where tear gas was used to clear the crowd on June 1, 2020 in Washington DC. Only one person in the background has a face mask. No one is social distanced.

The Untold Power of Bill Barr to Direct US Military Forces in Case of “Civil Unrest”

Whether deployed against protests for racial justice or deployed to interfere with free and fair elections in November, the US military operations would be led by Bill Barr, not…
Michael Flynn, Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, and Solicitor General Noel Francisco

Four Remarkable Arguments in DOJ’s Latest Brief in the Michael Flynn Case [UPDATED with links to reply/response briefs]

A couple of weeks ago, I published a very long, comprehensive post in which I tried to explain all the ins and outs of the Michael Flynn case, from 2016 to the present day.  Since…
A large number of police in riot gear including batons block protestors demonstrating against police brutality and the murder of George Floyd. Many protestors carry colorful umbrellas due to the bad weather. The umbrellas mostly obstruct the view of the front line of protestors but some police can be seen pushing protestors on the side.

What Does the Constitutional Right of Assembly Protect? What Counts as “Peaceable”? And Who Should Decide?

Municipal rules governing access to public space and existing criminal law significantly circumscribe protestors’ expressive freedom, especially their right to be disruptive.
Police advance on demonstrators who are protesting the killing of George Floyd on May 30, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are dressed in riot gear and carry very large batons. A large cloud of tear gas can be seen behind the police.

New Complicity Charges Filed in the Killing of George Floyd

UPDATED As millions of people take to the streets demanding racial justice, accountability for police violence, and the demilitarization of the police, the case against the ex-police…
A Black Lives Matter protest on June 4, 2020 in New York City. Demonstrators hold signs, one is a large picture of George Floyd, who was killed by police on May 25th. Other signs read, “Black Lives Matter,” “Color is not a crime,” “Brionna Taylor Say Her Name,” White Silence Equals Violence,” and “Stop Police Brutality.” Demonstrators wear face masks due to the coronavirus.

The United States’ Racial Justice Problem Is Also an International Human Rights Law Problem

An essay by United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Professor E. Tendayi Achiume.
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