Webinar regarding police practices during protests in the US – March 10, 2022
Dr. Jennifier Earl , professor of Sociology (University of Arizona) will summarize what the repression literature has to say about how policing differs based on the ideology of the protester (e.g., right or left-leaning movements). She will also discuss the role and consequences of the use of arrests to control protest in the United States. The US legal system uses a low standard for lawful arrests and allows for very physically, emotionally, and financially difficult arrest and pre-trial experiences. Together, she highlights how these have been used in the United States to apply significant sanctions to protesters without significant evidence or substantial court review.
Dr. Heidi Reynolds-Stenson, professor of Sociology, Criminology and Anthropology (Colorado State University), will focus on her research on the disparate police response to protests against police brutality compared to protests on other issues. She will situate these findings within the broader state of knowledge on predictors of police response to protests in the U.S. and, if there is interest, will also be available to answer questions related to the impact of state repression on protest participation and to historical shifts in protest policing.
