and the 14th Amendment only banned discrimination on political and civil rights. In the separate but equal laws it is stated that "absolute equality of the two races before the law," such equality extended only so far as political and civil rights (e.g., voting and serving on juries), not "social rights" (e.g., sitting in a railway car one chooses).’’(3) therefor homer plessy's arrest was lawful and he was violating. this evidence is crucial to the investigation into the arrest of Homer Plessy because it showed he was in fact violating state law and the police had the right to