CalAware Today

Lawsuit Alleges Off-duty Cop Bullying at Meeting

FREEDOM OF SPEECH/PETITION -- A federal lawsuit has been filed against the City of Pomona and its police on behalf of more than 50 members of the Pomona Habla/Pomona Speaks coalition and others, involving an August 2008 meeting about traffic checkpoints that they say was disrupted by the intimidation of off-duty police officers, reports Monica Rodriguez for the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.

Official: "Sometimes democracy can go too far"

FREE PETITION -- "Berkeley may take great pride as a champion of free speech and civil rights," writes Matthai Kuruvila for the San Francisco Chronicle, "but an unusual campaign has been under way—led by most of the city's top elected officials—to stop residents from signing a citizen's petition."