The ACLU SoCal is committed to protecting your rights to safely assemble and express your views through protest.
We are alarmed by reports that protesters in Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California have been injured by local, state, and federal government agencies in the past few days. If you, or someone close to you, has been subjected to excessive force at the hands of the police, sheriff’s deputies, ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, the military, or the National Guard while protesting in Los Angeles or other parts of Southern Califonia this month, please fill out the form below.
How will the ACLU SoCal use the information I provide?
Using our limited resources, the ACLU SoCal seeks to make systemic or structural changes that advance the civil and human rights of whole communities. We do so through court cases and advocacy. In court cases, the ACLU SoCal uses evidence we collect from community members to support arguments and to obtain judicial relief, such as an injunction to stop a violation of rights. The ACLU SoCal also uses evidence in our legislative work and policy advocacy, including community organizing, coalition building, and community education.
If you submit this form, you agree that the information you submit may be reviewed by ACLU SoCal staff and volunteers, and shared with the national American Civil Liberties Union and/or other ACLU affiliates. You also agree that these entities and our coalition partners may use the information you give us, as long as we don’t include your name, address, email or phone number, for one or more of the following purposes: (1) legislative testimony, (2) litigation; (3) contacting a city, county, state, or federal agency; or (4) telling your story to the public, including the media. If ACLU SoCal, the national ACLU, or another ACLU affiliate, or one of our coalition partners wants to identify you, we will contact you prior to doing so.
We will keep your name, address, telephone number and email confidential unless you give us permission to use them or unless we are ordered to turn this information over by a court (although we will attempt to prevent any disclosure).
If I give the ACLU SoCal information, does that mean the ACLU SoCal is my attorney?
No. Giving the ACLU SoCal information does not mean the ACLU SoCal represents you. The ACLU SoCal only represents an individual or makes them a party to a case after a careful review process and consultation with the individual, and then only after the ACLU SoCal and the individual both sign a written engagement letter outlining the terms of legal representation. Because of limited resources, we cannot offer representation to the vast majority of people who contact us with legal problems and questions.
But we still need you to contact us if you have information about police use of force in Los Angeles, because it will help us assess whether there have been legal violations and what we can do to end them moving forward.
If I believe my rights have been violated, can the ACLU SoCal advise me about my situation?
Because the ACLU SoCal does not represent you at this point, we cannot give you anything more than general legal information. We cannot provide you with specific advice about your case, answer strategy questions, review draft legal papers, or conduct legal research to assist you. You can, however, seek an attorney of your choice to discuss your situation.
Contact an attorney right away if you believe your rights were violated.
There are deadlines to file claims and lawsuits, so it is important to speak with an attorney right away if you believe your rights have been violated. If you don’t file a claim or a lawsuit on time, you might lose the right to bring a claim.
Here are resources to help you find an attorney:
- National Police Accountability Project. Online directory of attorneys working in the areas of civil rights and police accountability.
- Smart Law: Online referral service for Southern California private attorneys in multiple practice areas.