Alderman Proposes Ordinance To Protect Protest Communications

By aaroncynic in News on Feb 15, 2012 10:20PM

Even though City officials say they have no present plans to crackdown on electronic communication during the NATO/G8 summits in May, Ald. Ricardo Munoz (22nd) wants some extra assurance. The Huffington Post reports the city councilman introduced an ordinance to prevent police from shutting down electronic communications during the protests which will surround the summits. Ricardo said “We're putting down a marker and saying this has happened in other places and we don't even want it considered here.”

Similar tactics have been employed not only in countries like Egypt during protests, but also in other parts of the United States. The Bay Area Rapid Transit system in San Fransisco killed cell service in its tunnels to prevent protesters from attempting to shut down trains during a demonstration last year. While that was the first time in the United States such communication was shut down, it's not the first time law enforcement has tried to disrupt protesters from coordinating via electronic communication. In 2009, two men were arrested by the FBI for tweeting out police movements during protests surrounding the G20 summits in Pittsburgh.

The proposed ordinance by Munoz would prohibit police from:

"'(S)hutting down mobile tower communications during the summits, 'using confiscated equipment to monitor or block mobile phone and Web access' and selectively blocking access to the Internet and social media sites.”

Andy Thayer, an activist helping to organize some of the protests, said “In this day and age, social media is central to the First Amendment.” Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy told reporters police wouldn't “do anything about the First Amendment except protect it.” FOP President Michael Shields took a tougher stance, however. Shields told the Huffington Post “I'm just concerned about officer safety and citizen safety...If we have to take this action, if it's within the framework of the Constitution, then we have to consider it.”