News & Commentary

The ACLU of Indiana was encouraged by Mayor Hogsett’s recent press conference in which Indianapolis officials discussed the importance of restructuring policing in our city. Recognizing that the underlying problem with policing isn't the result of a few failed policies or a couple of bad apples, but rather the problem is the outsized and ever-expanding scale of policing that leads inevitably to officers’ unlawful use of excessive force – is an important first step.

It is Pride Month and I’m watching the white LGBTQ community respond to the pain and anguish of our black LGBTQ siblings in a time when we are finally being forced to confront the reality of anti-black police brutality. This weekend LGBTQ activists from NYC to LA are transforming their annual summer Pride festivals as a moment to protest in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.  

Fifty-five years ago, the Supreme Court held that a married couple has the right to privacy in choosing to use contraception in Griswold v. Connecticut. Although in this opinion the Court did not extend protection to everyone’s right to make reproductive choices, it laid the foundation for later cases that expanded access to birth control and applied the right to privacy when deciding whether or not to have an abortion. Today, birth control access is under attack yet again, facing threats due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As Hoosiers continue to march the streets, demanding police reform and an end to police violence against Black and Brown people, we are confronted with images and videos of police using tear gas on peaceful protesters and making mass arrests of demonstrators who are practicing their First Amendment rights.  

You should encourage them to take the above steps and contact the ACLU of Indiana.Can I take pictures or shoot video at a protest?When you are lawfully present in any public space, you have the right to photograph anything in plain view, including federal buildings and the police. (On private property, the owner may set rules about photography or video.)Police officers may not confiscate or demand to view your photographs or video without a warrant, nor may they delete data under any circumstances. However, they may order citizens to cease activities that are truly interfering with legitimate law enforcement operations.What do I do if I am stopped or detained for taking photographs?Always remain calm and never physically resist a police officer.Police cannot detain you without reasonable suspicion that you have or are about to commit a crime or are in the process of doing so.If you are stopped, ask the officer if you are free to leave. If the answer is yes, calmly walk away.If you are detained, ask the officer what crime you are suspected of committing, and remind the officer that taking photographs is your right under the First Amendment and does not constitute reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.

The Indiana Legislature is failing to explore reasonable pregnancy accommodations during the 2020 interim session. During the 2020 session, legislators said they need additional research on the issue before they can enact laws protecting pregnant women. But now, they’ve refused to gather further information. This is a huge blow to Hoosier women. The willful ignorance of the legislature on commonsense protections for pregnant workers threatens women’s health and the health of their babies. 

Undocumented Hoosiers detained in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Clay County Jail and other midwestern facilities should be released from custody immediately.

We saw several highs and several lows inside the Indiana Statehouse this year. The ACLU of Indiana and our supporters were a constant presence in the Statehouse - fighting tooth-and-nail to stop discriminatory legislation. From keeping 12-year old kids out of adult court, to protecting the rights of trans Hoosiers - this session was a constant battle. But we continued to fight for Hoosiers' Constitutional rights and came out with several key victories! 

According to the new report, A Tale of Two Countries Racially Targeted Arrests in the Era of Marijuana Reform, Indiana ranks 24th in the nation for largest racial disparities in marijuana arrests. The new ACLU report details marijuana possession arrests from 2010 to 2018, updating our unprecedented national report released in 2013, The War on Marijuana in Black and White.