FC: ACLU sues FBI, DoJ over Y2K martial law video

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

********

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,33225,00.html

                     Lawsuit Says Feds Went too Far 
                     by Jill Priluck 

                     2:00 p.m. 22.Dec.1999 PST 
                     NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties
                     Union is suing the federal government for
                     allegedly coercing an artist and Web
                     hosting service to censor a fictional
                     depiction of a Y2K military takeover. 

                     The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in US
                     District Court in New Jersey, accuses the
                     FBI, the US Attorney for the Southern
                     District of New York, and the US
                     Department of Justice of illegally shutting
                     down artist Mike Zieper's video, Military
                     Takeover of New York City, which is
                     about a New Year's Eve military coup in
                     Times Square. 

                     According to the lawsuit, the Feds
                     violated Zieper's right to free speech by
                     pressuring the artist and his Web host,
                     Mark Weiger, to remove the video. ACLU
                     attorney Ann Beeson called it an
                     egregious First Amendment violation.

                     [...]

> ****MEDIA ADVISORY****
>
> ACLU to Sue FBI, Justice Dept. Over Attempt to Suppress "Y2K Military 
> Takeover"Film 
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
> Tuesday, December 21, 1999
>
> CONTACT: Emily Whitfield, ACLU National (212) 549-2566 or 2666
> Cell phone (917) 686-4542/e-mail: ewhitfield () aclu org
>
> NEW YORK--At a 2:00 p.m. news conference in downtown Manhattan tomorrow, the 
> national and New Jersey offices of the American Civil Liberties Union will 
> announce the filing of a lawsuit against federal law enforcement officials 
> who sought to shut down a controversial short film about a secret army plan 
> to incite a race riot in Times Square on New Year's Eve.
>
> The fictional 6-minute "Military Takeover" video, created by New Jersey 
> artist Mike Zieper (ZYE-per) is currently online at 
> http://crowdedtheater.com/ and will be screened tomorrow at the ACLU news 
> conference; a limited number of videotapes will be available to reporters. 
>
> In its legal complaint against agents and top officials at the U. S. 
> Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the ACLU will 
> charge that Mike Z. and his web host, Mark Wieger (WEE-ger) of Michigan,
were 
> subjected to an unlawful investigation and attempts to censor  activities 
> fully protected by the First Amendment.
>
> WHO:    Video artist "Mike Z.;" Mark Wieger, owner of BECamation website, 
> ACLU national  attorneys Ann Beeson and Chris Hansen and attorneys with the 
> ACLU of New Jersey. 
>
> WHAT:   News conference to announce filing of ACLU lawsuit against attempts 
> by FBI and Justice Department to suppress artistic expression protected by 
> the First Amendment
>
> WHERE:ACLU, 125 Broad Street (between South and Water Streets), 18th floor
> Subway lines - 1,9 (South Ferry), 4,5 (Bowling Green) and N,R (Whitehall)
>        
> WHEN:   2:00 p.m. E.D.T.


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