Two San Francisco 49er season ticket holders are challenging the new pat-down policy implemented by the 49ers this season. The ACLU of Northern California is representing Dan Sheehan, a season ticket holder for more than thirty-five years, and his wife Kathleen, who say their right to privacy under the California Constitution is being violated. The suit was filed today in San Francisco Superior Court.

The ACLU of Northern California today filed a motion asking the Yolo County Superior Court to set aside a sweeping permanent injunction issued against alleged members of West Sacramento’s “Broderick Boys” gang on February 3, 2005. The motion was filed on behalf of residents who were never given any notice that the District Attorney was seeking to impose on them this permanent injunction during the month long court proceeding, and thus never had the opportunity to defend themselves. They only learned of the injunction a week after it was issued, when teams of law enforcement agents showed up at their door and served the permanent injunction on them and dozens of other alleged gang members.

A groundbreaking settlement has been reached as a result of a federal lawsuit brought by the ACLU of Northern California on behalf of three high school students whose civil rights were violated when they were rounded up for a so-called “gang intervention” meeting.

The ACLU of Northern California filed a class action lawsuit today challenging the unlawful round up of approximately 60 students at James Logan High School in Union City on February 22, 2002. The students were illegally rounded up, detained for up to two hours, searched, interrogated and photographed by Union City police officers and school officials. The information gathered from the students apparently was entered into a “gang database” maintained by the Union City Police Department.