This is a free workshop for anyone who wants to defend free speech and assembly by becoming a volunteer legal observer for the ACLU of Wisconsin. Two workshops will be offered in April; volunteers only have to participate in one workshop to be trained. Bilingual volunteers are especially encouraged to get involved.
For more on the ACLU of Wisconsin’s legal observer program and for pictures of observers in action, visit this blog entry.
What Are Legal Observers?
Legal Observers are trained volunteers who document events at public protests and act as legal witnesses to political demonstrations.
These events can include any incidents of police misconduct or violations of the rights of protesters.
Legal Observers are committed to defending free speech as objectively as possible, so their documentation may be used as evidence if police misconduct or obstructions of free speech are challenged in court. As a Legal Observer, volunteers may commit to being among others who are free speech defenders, but also aren’t expected to attend every event – volunteers pick which protests to observe with neutrality and may choose not to volunteer at protests in which they wish to participate.
