25 Orgs Tell GA Prosecutors: Anti-surveillance tools should not be evidence of criminal intent

In early motions in the Cop City RICO trial, it appears the prosecution is trying to argue that use of a “burner phone” is in itself evidence of criminal intent. Guardrails on government surveillance are central to our constitutional rights, implying a right to evade that same surveillance. Given the scale of repression in Georgia, it comes as no surprise that activists engaged in protests, illegal or not, have taken steps to protect themselves from police surveillance. This week, 27 organizations wrote to the Cop City prosecution: use of anti-surveillance technology should inherently indicate criminal intent. Read the letter below: