Journalists Face Threats and Physical Violence While Covering National Protests

Journalists have long understood the risks involved in covering protests, but the events of the past weekend point to a worrisome shift: journalists are not only finding themselves caught in the middle of violence; they are increasingly becoming targets.

California Protestors Sue Governor Over Stay-At-Home Order

“By banning protests generally, and denying Givens’ permit specifically, Defendants have deprived Givens of the opportunity for airing his grievances against the government, including the State’s failure to conduct timely background checks for those wishing to purchase a gun and restrictions on speech activities,” the complaint argues.

Why Protest Sites and the Border Remain Risky Places to Report

Reporters Committee Attorney and author of the 2019 Press Freedom Report Sarah Matthews explains why borders and protests remain risky for journalists, as well as how data collected in the US Press Freedom Tracker drives her advocacy work.

Cheerleader Who Knelt During National Anthem, Wins $145,000 in Settlement with University

Two years ago, Tommia Dean sued the university arguing that state and university officials conspired together to prevent cheerleaders from protesting at future games. In a settlement reached this fall, the Georgia Department of Administrative Services agreed to pay her $135,000.

How an Email to Students about a College Football Game Turned into a Free Speech Controversy

“The issue wasn’t that the SGA email said ‘Protest Trump and you’ll be kicked out'," a student at the University of Alabama said. "The issue was that the timing was suspect, and seemed intended to have a chilling effect on students who may have been planning on booing or protesting."

Authors Share Excerpts on Free Speech: Timothy Zick on The First Amendment in the Trump Era

In The First Amendment in the Trump Era, Timothy Zick catalogs and analyzes the various First Amendment conflicts that have occurred during the Trump presidency. It places these conflicts in historical context–as part of our current digitized and polarized era but also as part of a broader narrative concerning attacks on free speech and press. We must understand what is familiar in terms of the First Amendment concerns of the present era, but also what is distinctive about these concerns.

Black Lives Matter Leader May Face Trial for Actions of Anonymous Protester

A prominent Black Lives Matter activist, DeRay Mckesson, might go on trial for injuries sustained by a police officer during a protest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana even though he wasn’t […]