Independence Day, NSA Leaks Inspire Fourth Amendment Protests
On Independence Day Americans took to the streets and Internet to demand that the NSA stop spying on law abiding citizens.
An estimated 100 locations held rallies called Restore the Fourth, originated on Reddit.
The group describes itself as “a non-partisan, unaffiliated group of concerned citizens who seek to strengthen the Fourth Amendment with respect to digital surveillance by the US government.”
The organizers explained that the rallies aim to demand an end of government unconstitutional surveillance in the US in which citizens are protected by the fourth amendment to the constitution.
Restore the Fourth is demanding from Congress reform to the Patriot Act, the FISA Amendments Act, and the state’s secrets privilege to enforce the fact that spying on American citizens is prohibited by law.
They also ask that an investigation is conducted into the extent of domestic spying and the findings be made public. In addition, they demand that anyone found guilty of wrong-doing is held accountable.
The rallies that took place during Independence Day clearly reflect the public’s discontent with the revelations that the NSA has been spying domestically.
Edward Snowden is the whistleblower that brought to light the NSA PRISM online surveillance program and has fled the country for fear of being prosecuted for espionage.
Americans learned that at least nine Internet companies including, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Facebook, PalTalk, YouTube, Skype, AOL, and Apple, allegedly agreed to government surveillance of their servers.
The Internet Defense League, a coalition of thousands of websites that sound the alarm whenever there is a major threat to the Internet, organized an online protest to emphasize the efforts of the Restore the Fourth rallies.
Organizers of the protest used social media to get the word out. The signs at cities such as New York and Washington D.C. read, Go away NSA and NSA, You listening now?
Do you support the Independence Day protest against NSA illegal surveillance?
[Image via Facebook]
