Authors Share Excerpts on Free Speech: Ian Rosenberg and The Marketplace of Ideas
In "The Fight for Free Speech," Ian Rosenberg distills the last century of First Amendment law into ten critical issues. The first chapter, excerpted here, traces the story of several anarchists who were tried under the Espionage Act of 1917 for distributing anti-war pamphlets.
Join First Amendment Watch for #FAWPublicForum, a Live Twitter Conversation
Join us for an online discussion on January 5 from 2-3 pm ET with Baltimore School of Law Professor Emeritus and author Garrett Epps who will answer questions about contemporary threats to people’s assembly rights.
Teacher Guide: The Right to Peacefully Assemble
This teacher guide examines the role peaceful protest has played in United States history, how the law evolved to ensure greater protections for protest, and contemporary threats to assembly rights. It includes information about the civil rights movement, major court cases, and the philosophy of civil disobedience.
Supreme Court Rejects Fifth Circuit Ruling in Protest Lawsuit
The case against Black Lives Matter activist DeRay Mckesson will be sent back to the Fifth Circuit for further review. A Louisiana officer claims Mckesson should be held liable for an injury caused by the actions of an anonymous protester, even though he had no involvement in the crime.
Texas Governor Says Teacher Who Showed Cartoon Comparing Police to KKK Should Be Fired
The cartoon is made up of five panels and starts with an image of a slave ship owner kneeling on a Black man's neck, and ends with a police officer kneeling on a Black man while he says "I can't breathe."
Oregon District Court Bars Federal Agents From Targeting Journalists
The judge extended a preliminary injunction prohibiting federal agents from "arresting, threatening to arrest, or using physical force" against journalists or legal observers. An attorney working with the ACLU on the case called the court's decision "a crucial victory for civil liberties and freedom of the press."
Tennessee Governor Signs Bill That Raises Penalties For Protestors Who Break the Law
Protesters in Tennessee charged with rioting, assaulting a police officer, or vandalizing state property will now face greater fines and longer prison sentences, following a new bill signed into law on August 18th by Governor Bill Lee.
Protesters File Class Action Against Richmond Police
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of five Richmond residents, some of whom were sprayed with tear gas, and others who were forced to leave the protest early after seeing the police deploy chemical weapons.