ACLU addresses concerns of Overland Park police response to protest in letter
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas this week issued a letter to the Overland Park Police Department, criticizing the department’s “overly reactive and militarized response” to a July 24 protest.
In a news release, the civil rights organization said the police department’s response is reason for serious concern. The letter is a result of requests from The Miller Dream LLC, the organization that organized the July 24 protest.
The letter, addressed to Chief Frank Donchez, said the reports of the department responding in riot gear, allowing officers to hide their badge numbers and targeting protest leaders with harassment and arrest were concerning.
“This conduct raises serious constitutional concerns and undermines community trust,” the letter, dated Aug. 14, read.
The letter asked why the police department thought the July 24 protest attendees “posed a unique doxxing threat.”
City spokeswoman Meg Ralph said in a statement last month that the decision was made not only because of doxxing concerns, or the public release of personal information, but also because some Overland Park officers “recently experienced circumstances of being targeted because of their service.”
Previous protests organized by The Miller Dream were peaceful, the letter said, with minimal police presence required.
In the letter, the ACLU says the police department helped to block traffic during a July 11 protest for protesters marching in the street. That night, interactions between police and protesters were cooperative, with the “only contentious behavior” coming from residents angered by the message.
The night of July 24, protesters chanted phrases such as “no lives matter till Black lives matter” and called to defund police as they marched down College Boulevard. They were followed by two police officers on bikes.
Later that night, two residents of a home near Johnson County Community College yelled at protesters to leave.
“Get out of here,” screamed one resident. Another resident yelled at protesters to “get off my property.”
According to the letter, one of the residents “accosted a teenage girl trying to de-escalate an argument between a protester and another resident.”
At that time, several Overland Park officers stood across the street from the home but didn’t intervene when the residents confronted protesters.
Shortly after, about 30 officers in riot gear and carrying zip ties started to follow the protesters and told those marching in the street to move to the sidewalk.
Attorney Stacy Shaw, wearing a vest that said “attorney,” was in the street helping coordinate legal observers to document the approaching officers.
Shaw was the first person arrested that night.
“Indeed, OPPD officers bypassed other protesters in order to arrest Ms. Shaw,” the letter read.
Four people were arrested in total. One man was later charged with felony battery on a law enforcement officer. Fellow protesters said he is innocent.
The department released body camera footage of the incident a few days later.
In the news release, the ACLU said it received several reports that the Overland Park police singled out and threatened with arrest a chant leader and an organizer with a bullhorn.
