The ACLU has won a lawsuit which will allow it to continue to film protests in Ferguson, Missouri as they unfold, even if this means filming the police force. The police had sought to block the organization from doing so as the protests have become increasingly contentious and the police would prefer to not be filmed.
However, stltoday.com reports that the ACLU of Missouri has fought and won the right to continue to film the police and the protest activities as they please.
The big issue at stake here is the freedom of the press versus the concerns for public safety. Some in the police force were worried that videos getting out to the public might inflame the situation worse than it already is. This could make things harder for the police to contain and ultimately, this could cause more problems on the ground. Andrew Heiberger says that is the argument that the police force has been trying to make. However, the courts were not having it and have determined that it is the constitutional right of anyone to film these events in public places.
Ferguson, Missouri is in fact on the brick of potential mayhem as the situation is being carefully monitored each and every day. The case for the ACLU has been won and filming will continue, but beyond that it is difficult to say what will happen next.