Response To Capitol Riot Could Hurt Minorities, Civil Libertarians Say

Civil liberties advocates say they fear that the kinds of measures that could be put in place after last week’s riot at the U.S. Capitol could disproportionately hurt minorities.

Civil liberties advocates are warning that the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol could lead to new police and surveillance powers. If history is a guide, they say, those tools could be used against Blacks and other people of color in the justice system, not the white rioters who stormed Congress.

Albert Fox Cahn watched in horror last week as rioters beat and shoved their way into the U.S. Capitol. The civil rights lawyer said the images made him angry.

“You know, in that moment, I myself felt that same anger, that I want to catch these guys after seeing what they did to our Capitol,” Cahn said. “And that anger, that frustration, that desire for justice, can lead us to very dangerous places.”