Burning Man Threatening to Sue Feds for Turning Festival into Unconstitutional Police State

Art: TheFreeThoughtProject.com

As The Free Thought Project reported earlier this week, police from various agencies were more aggressive than ever with searches of Burning Man attendees who were on their way to the festival this year.

Police in the region told reporters that they have orders from the federal government to target cars that are on their way to Burning Man and search them for drugs.

Organizers of the festival have responded to these reports with a letter to federal officials threatening a lawsuit if the traffic stops continue.

The letter cited “improper and apparently unconstitutional behavior” on the behalf of multiple police agencies.

Adam Belsky, special counsel to the Burning Man organization, was the organizer who signed the letter.

“Many of the (traffic stop) tactics are attempts to intimidate and harass travelers who are doing nothing more than passing through the Reservation on a state-maintained highway. This is unacceptable and this behavior should not be tolerated by agency leaders nor the public,” Belsky wrote.

Organizers argue that there are many other safety risks that these stops are causing, and it could make it more difficult for them to get ice and other important supplies to where they need to be.

“Given the current situation and the likelihood that litigation will be necessary to remedy these violations, we request that the (Bureau of Indian Affairs), (Department of Interior) and (Bureau of Land Management) and any and all other governmental agencies involved preserve all evidence relation to the (traffic stops). It appears that the BIA agents are unconstitutionally targeting attendees of the Burning Man event in violation of their First Amendment rights of free expression and of freedom to assemble,”Belsky wrote.

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