MILWAUKEE — A group of abortion opponents has sued the city
of Milwaukee and 21 police officers, contending they systematically violated
the protesters’ civil rights through harassment, intimidation and improper
enforcement of ordinances.
The eight plaintiffs say they regularly pray, sing, hold
signs, hand out pamphlets and engage in “non-threatening sidewalk
counseling” in the vicinity of two clinics that perform abortions. The
lawsuit states they are aware of and observe the restrictions imposed in a 1993
court injunction regarding abortion protests in Milwaukee.
The 32-page lawsuit cites several incidents in 2007, 2008
and 2009 in which one or more of the plaintiffs were confronted by police and
either threatened, ticketed or arrested. In at least three cases, charges were
ultimately dismissed, but without prejudice, meaning prosecutors could
re-introduce the charges later. The lawsuit contends dismissing the charges
without prejudice is another form of intimidation.
The plaintiffs “have been intimidated and impeded and
chilled in the exercise of their free speech rights, and have at times been
effectively driven out of the public forum,” the suit contends. Six of the
plaintiffs are from Milwaukee; two from Cedarburg, Wis.
In one instance, according to the suit, plaintiffs Alex and
Ana Marie Doak were pushing their baby in a carriage and handing out pamphlets
when seven police officers surrounded them and threatened to charge them with
abuse and neglect of their child
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Milwaukee,
seeks injunctions and a declaration that the city’s snipe advertisement and
disorderly conduct ordinances are unconstitutional. The plaintiffs’ signs are
clearly political or social and not subject to the ordinance, according to the
suit. It also argues that the disorderly conduct charge is too vague because it
doesn’t define the several behaviors it prohibits.
The lawsuit also seeks to have records of the plaintiffs’
tickets under those ordinances expunged, as well as damages and court costs, and
to have Milwaukee police undergo more training about free speech
demonstrations.
City Attorney Grant Langley said Tuesday he had not seen the
lawsuit and could not comment.
Via McClatchy-Tribune News Service.
