ACLU Sues Memphis Safe Task Force Over First Amendment Violations
ACLU files federal lawsuit claiming Memphis Safe Task Force agents intimidate and harass residents who record their law enforcement activities.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE — The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday alleging that Memphis Safe Task Force agents are engaging in a “startling pattern of retaliation, intimidation, and harassment” against residents who record their law enforcement activities.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of four Memphis residents, seeks a court ruling declaring that the agents’ actions violate the First Amendment right to observe and document police activities. The plaintiffs claim they suffered pushback after recording the multi-agency law enforcement crackdown operating in the city.
Seeking Court Protection for Observers
The legal action requests an injunction barring Task Force agents from retaliating against people for gathering information or recording task force activities in the future. The suit also challenges the agents’ use of a Tennessee statute that allows law enforcement to order observers to stand 25 feet away, which the lawsuit claims is frequently invoked to prevent documentation of task force operations.
“Recording publicly visible law enforcement activity is a core First Amendment right,” said Scarlet Kim, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project. “Like folks in Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles, and elsewhere across the country, Memphis residents have picked up their phones and cameras to document the massive influx of law enforcement officers into their community.”
“In response, the Memphis Safe Task Force has relentlessly subjected these individuals to intimidation, harassment, and retaliation,” Kim added.
Department of Justice Responds
A Department of Justice spokesperson issued a statement Wednesday defending the task force operations. “We will not tolerate any action that puts our law enforcement officers at risk,” the spokesperson said.
“We strongly disagree with the allegations in the lawsuit and remain committed to fair, impartial, and professional law enforcement practices to keep Memphians and the American people safe,” the statement continued. The spokesperson cited the Task Force’s record of more than 9,000 arrests, including 951 known gang members, as evidence of “drastically increasing public safety in the Memphis community.”
Multi-Agency Operation Under Scrutiny
The Memphis Safe Task Force represents a significant law enforcement presence in the city, involving multiple agencies including the Tennessee National Guard. The operation has drawn attention from civil rights advocates who argue that increased surveillance and documentation by residents serves as an important check on police conduct.
The federal lawsuit marks the latest legal challenge to emerge from the task force’s activities, as community members continue to assert their constitutional rights to observe and record law enforcement in public spaces. The case will test the balance between police operations and First Amendment protections in Tennessee.
