Before the Ocean State’s Constitution gets around to mentioning freedom of the press, freedom of speech or the right to bear arms, it enshrines the concept of “shore privileges.” “The people shall continue to enjoy and freely exercise all the rights of fishery and the privileges of the shore,” reads Article 1, Section 17, “including […]
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Posted inLocal, Shoreline Access, South County Bureau
Charlestown police accused of empowering ‘vigilantes’ to help patrol local beach
Shoreline access and civil liberties advocates are crying foul over a new policy in Charlestown welcoming private individuals to collect surveillance evidence for police to use in enforcing a vehicle ordinance on a barrier beach at the center of multiple beach access legal fights. Under the new policy rolled out by the Charlestown Police Department […]
Posted inArticle, Local, Shoreline Access, South County Bureau
ACLU represents beach access advocate sued by Weekapaug Fire District
The Rhode Island affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union is defending a Westerly resident and beach access advocate being sued by the Weekapaug Fire District for advocating that the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council designate a public right-of-way to the Quonochontaug Barrier Beach. The ACLU is working with former Rhode Island Assistant Attorney […]
Posted inLocal, South County Bureau, Stories
Weekapaug Fire District takes new legal action against Westerly and Rhode Island
The Weekapaug Fire District filed a lawsuit in Rhode Island Superior Court on Dec. 6, arguing the state’s review of the Sand Trail at the Quonochontaug Barrier Beach for potential designation as a public right-of-way to the ocean should be closed by the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council. Weekapaug’s suit says the review that […]
