The complaint asserts that police surveillance began after the 2020 protests following the murder of George Floyd
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Oregon has filed a lawsuit against the city of Medford, accusing its law enforcement authorities of unlawfully surveilling and gathering information on local activists. The lawsuit, filed in the Jackson County Circuit Court, represents two local organisations and an individual activist who allege that the Medford Police Department has been monitoring them for years.
The complaint asserts that police surveillance began after the 2020 protests following the murder of George Floyd and continued during demonstrations against the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The plaintiffs allege that the police infiltrated a social media group of activists and maintained files on individuals involved in peaceful protests, a practice they claim violates Oregon law.
According to the complaint, the police actions contravene ORS 181A.250, a statute that prohibits law enforcement from collecting information on individuals unless it is part of a criminal investigation with reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. The plaintiffs argue that their activities were entirely lawful and that the police had no grounds for such surveillance.
Medford city attorney, Eric Mitton, responded to the allegations in an email to the Associated Press, stating that the police department only collected publicly available information. He defended the surveillance, saying it was conducted “to address legitimate police interests regarding public rallies and protests.”
The ACLU’s lawsuit seeks to hold the city accountable for what it describes as an overreach of police authority, raising concerns about the protection of civil liberties in Medford.
