On a stroll through the Elmwood Village on this quiet 4th of July, I crossed Elmwood Avenue to peer into the window of a new clothing Boutique that has sprung up recently. Off in the distance I heard the lively shouts of this group of young people peacefully protesting government surveillance. I realized the small group had formed a tiny parade and they were headed my way. I quickly found a stoop to sit in to wait for them to pass, hoping I could grab a few shots. Someone from the parade handed me a flyer as I snapped photos and exchanged greetings with participants.
The group makes up one of Buffalo’s responses to the movement called Restore the Fourth, which has emerged in the online community with sites like Reddit, Boing Boing and Mozilla supporting a campaign in cities across the United States. “Restore the Fourth” – refers to the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens against unlawful search and seizure. Read an article about the Restore the Fourth effort on reuters.com – Internet Sites Join July 4th Protest Against Surveillance.
