ACLU of Wisconsin Calls for Dismissal of Charges for Curfew Violations, Asks for Investigation Into Excessive Use of Force by Law Enforcement
KENOSHA – The ACLU of Wisconsin sent a letter Tuesday to Attorney General Josh Kaul, highlighting the absence of a legal basis for the curfew in Kenosha, and asking Kaul to investigate law enforcement’s repeated use of force against protesters, reiterating the organization’s previous demand for an investigation into criminal and unconstitutional conduct of law enforcement officials toward protesters. The ACLU also insists that the Kenosha District Attorney dismiss all charges for violating the illegal curfew.
The curfew, the ACLU argues, was unlawfully put into place because it was first issued by Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth, something that the sheriff does not have the authority to do. Emergency ordinances, like county-wide curfews, must be authorized by local governments, not law enforcement personnel. When the Kenosha Common Council declared a state of emergency on August 25, and transferred emergency powers to the mayor, he failed to provide critical details about the curfew, including where exactly it would be enforced, who was subject to it, and whether or not there were exemptions.
The letter also alludes to the numerous instances in which law enforcement has used excessive force against protesters, which warrants an independent investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
“It should be obvious that the Kenosha Sheriff and the Kenosha Police Department cannot investigate these events,” the letter stated. “Virtually the entire contingent of personnel of both agencies were involved in these events. For the same reasons that you are investigating the shooting of Jacob Blake, you must undertake an investigation of the subsequent events in Kenosha.”
The ACLU of Wisconsin’s letter to Attorney General Josh Kaul is available online at:
This statement is available online at:
More about the Kenosha Unrest
- U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Governor Tony Evers Call on President Trump to Keep His Promise to Deliver Federal Funding for Kenosha to Rebuild - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Sep 17th, 2020
- NLG Condemns Biased and Unprofessional Policing by Kenosha Police and Sheriff’s Departments - National Lawyers Guild, Milwaukee Chapter - Sep 16th, 2020
- Protesters Describe Detention In Kenosha - Isiah Holmes - Sep 14th, 2020
- Mayor Antaramian Announces Action Steps for Moving Kenosha Forward - Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian - Sep 14th, 2020
- Evers Might Extend Mask Order - Shawn Johnson - Sep 10th, 2020
- National Guard troops complete Kenosha support mission - Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs - Sep 9th, 2020
- ACLU of Wisconsin Calls for Dismissal of Charges for Curfew Violations, Asks for Investigation Into Excessive Use of Force by Law Enforcement - American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin - Sep 9th, 2020
- Did Kenosha Cops Push Protesters Toward Militia? - Dee J. Hall - Sep 6th, 2020
- Missouri Men Arrested in Kenosha for Illegal Guns - Danielle Kaeding - Sep 4th, 2020
- Biden Visits Blake Family in Kenosha - Madeline Fox and Laurel White - Sep 3rd, 2020
Read more about Kenosha Unrest here
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin
