Question

During the protests in Washington, D.C., following demonstrations in 2020, several people were briefly detained, released without charges, yet their cell phones, cameras, and other personal property were held by the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia for months or even a year. Which constitutional amendment applies to this situation?

Answer 1

Primarily the Fourth Amendment — it protects against unreasonable searches and seizures of persons and effects (including phones and cameras). Holding confiscated property for months without prompt legal process can also implicate due‑process guarantees (the Fifth Amendment as to the District of Columbia; the Fourteenth Amendment would apply if a state or local government were involved).