Lawsuit accuses Oregon police department of illegally monitoring progressive activists

The Oregon chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is suing the city of Medford, saying its police department has been unlawfully monitoring progressive political activists who aren’t suspected of criminal activity. City officials insist they have not monitored the groups because of their views or constitutionally protected activities. Officials say they conducted surveillance to prepare for possible public safety impacts. According to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Jackson County Circuit Court, the Medford Police Department for several years has monitored the activities and social media accounts of people involved in an array of causes. Those include racial justice, LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, and homelessness issues.