News & Commentary

A veteran from Minnesota explains why he's standing with Standing Rock.

A bill signed into law by President Bill Clinton about 20 years ago created an interstate agreement for emergency management. That agreement helped bring law enforcement agents from 10 states (including South Dakota) to the site of protests by the Standing Rock Sioux against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota.

An update about ACLU work in Standing Rock and what you can do to help the water protectors.

ACLU and Leadership Conference call for an end to law enforcement response to peaceful protesters with weapons of war.

In the United States, people have the right to protest, and the press has the right to write about it. But over the past month, multiple journalists, documentary filmmakers, and activists have been arrested in three different states for engaging in and reporting on protests against fossil fuel infrastructure projects. While the arrests are concerning, many of the charges leveled at members of the press, particularly the documentarians, are excessive and clearly designed to send a message to other activists and members of the independent media who might cover the protests: Want to join them?

Amendment T, a measure that would change the way South Dakota draws its legislative districts, will be on the ballot in November 2016.

Imagine you’ve been charged with a crime. You’re sitting in jail and you’re anxious, nervous, and hoping your case moves forward quickly. You can’t get out of jail to work or to see your family. Now, imagine that you’ve been sitting in jail like this for four, six, or even eleven months and while you haven’t been convicted of any crime, you can’t leave. Even worse? Your case isn’t moving forward at all. It may sound like a nightmare scenario but it’s exactly what’s happening to some mentally ill defendants in South Dakota.

The use of surveillance, military-style force, and religious oppression against indigenous people has a long history in this country. Today, on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and at a moment of surging indigenous power and strength, we bring light to the ongoing repression of the indigenous nations by Morton County and the state of North Dakota.

Each week we're counting down to our Cheers to Liberty event by spotlighting ACLU of South Dakota members. We are stoked to have the support of ACLU member and Sioux Falls community activist, Kayla Koterwski.