Weeks after announcing its campaign against what they say are sexual abuses by TSA agents, the Libertarian Party of Florida is holding a rally to protest “warrantless and random searches at airport checkpoints.” # The rally will be held this Sunday outside of the Daytona Florida Sheriffs Association convention. According to a press release, the goal of the protest will be “to encourage sheriffs to uphold the Fourth Amendment, as well as Florida statutes on molestation, as they apply to TSA employees.” # Those organizing the protest are encouraging attendees to bring signs urging sheriffs to confront the TSA. # In a July 4 email sent to all 67 of Florida’s sheriffs, Florida Libertarian Party chairman Adrian Wyllie called for the arrest of state TSA agents, writing that the seizure of travelers’ items are a direct violation of the United States Constitution.Wyllie went on to write that searches known as “Enhanced Pat Downs” are “clearly within the definition of felony sexual battery.” # “As Sheriff, you have the absolute duty to enforce the law uniformly and without prejudice,” wrote Wyllie.
“„Rally organizers contend that the TSA imaging systems, commonly known as “naked body scanners,” are a violation of the Fourth Amendment, and may violate child pornography laws when used on children. They also point out that these scanners, which emit radiation, may be a health hazard, citing data that indicates a correlation between the scanners an a rapid increase in cancer rates among TSA employees. The Department of Homeland Security has denied that the scanners pose a health hazard to employees or travelers, and has refused to comply with OSHA and other regulatory standards regarding x-ray machines and radiation-emitting devices. #