BREAKING NEWS: @LBSBaltimore, Erricka Bridgeford, and Kevin James, with support of @ACLU and @ACLU_MD filed a lawsuit today against the @BaltimorePolice for unconstitutionally deploying an aerial surveillance program over all #Baltimore residents. https://bit.ly/2XoSIeK 

@BaltimorePolice can’t be trusted to use spy planes given their terrible history of racism and lack of accountability for abuses. #Baltimore #Maryland #CivilLiberties #CivilRights #NoSpyPlanes

This aerial surveillance technology can be easily combined with the @BaltimorePolice's existing ground cameras, license plate readers, and other sensors to tie data together and provide highly detailed information about residents’ identities and activities. #CivilLiberties

BPD has said program’s intended purpose is to aid in solving criminal investigations but government officials have a history of secretly using similar technology for other purposes — including to surveil #BlackLivesMatter protests in #Baltimore in recent years. #NoSpyPlanes

Today's lawsuit by @ACLU @ACLU_MD against @BaltimorePolice challenges the constitutionality of deploying a wide-area aerial surveillance program that will put virtually all #Baltimore residents under constant, aerial surveillance. #CivilLiberties #CivilRights #NoSpyPlanes

Lawsuit argues this surveillance system presents a threat to our individual right to privacy and free association under the First and Fourth Amendments, respectively. @ACLU @ACLU_MD legal team seeks an injunction blocking aerial surveillance program. #CivilLiberties #CivilRights

Lawsuit filed on behalf of Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, ( @LBSBaltimore) grassroots think tank that advances public policy interests of Black people in #Baltimore, Erricka Bridgeford, Baltimore Ceasefire 365 project co-founder, and community organizer and musician Kevin James.

Putting residents under continuous, aerial surveillance will impact the privacy rights of everyone, but it is especially dangerous for Black and Brown communities. #Baltimore is the last place a novel system of mass surveillance should be tested. #CivilLiberties #CivilRights

Plaintiff Erricka Bridgeford: "The best way to reduce violence is through community building and healing strategies — not through military-grade surveillance programs. #BaltimoreCity @BaltimorePolice should invest in programs to address the root causes of violence.” #NoSpyPlanes

Plaintiff Kevin James: "I'm personally concerned by AIR program’s Orwellian nature. The city and @BaltimorePolice may claim that if you're not doing anything wrong, you don't have anything to worry about. But that claim is clearly disproven by countless historic examples...1/2

"...where the government used surveillance to oppress groups they find politically threatening. It is disquieting to know someone is watching you all the time — it is dark, sinister, and unjust.” - Kevin James 2/2 #NoSpyPlanes

Plaintiff Dayvon Love @LBSBaltimore: "We are gravely concerned about historic role surveillance has played in enabling the government to target and harm organizations with our sensibilities — those of us who have been trained and socialized into the Black radical tradition." 1/3

"Throughout our country’s history, federal agencies have worked in collaboration with local law enforcement to surveil political dissenters." Dayvon Love @LBSBaltimore 2/3 #CivilLiberties #CivilRights #NoSpyPlanes

"We are adamantly opposed to a program that gives law enforcement new and improved tools to watch and potentially harm people who challenge the dominant social order and power structure.”- Dayvon Love @LBSBaltimore 3/3 #CivilLiberties #CivilRights #NoSpyPlanes #Baltimore

Unconstitutional aerial surveillance program would be the most wide-reaching surveillance dragnet ever used in an American city, and if it’s allowed to move forward, could become a chilling & all-seeing part of daily life all over the country. #CivilLiberties #CivilRights

@BaltimorePolice has contracted with a private company, Persistent Surveillance Systems (PSS), to pilot this “Aerial Investigation Research” program. PSS’ high-resolution, camera-equipped planes will fly over the entire city of #Baltimore at least 40 hours a week. #NoSpyPlanes

The cameras create a slow frame rate video record of everywhere that anyone goes, allowing police to retroactively track a person’s movements from any place/time. Pilot program is set to begin this month for a trial period of 180 days. #Baltimore #CivilLiberties #CivilRights

Imagine individual police officers assigned to follow individual residents around #Baltimore, watching everywhere they went, watching residents' interactions with each other. All day every day. Would anyone stand for that -- much less think it's a good idea? #NoSpyPlanes