Home : Free Speech : Right to Protest

ACLU Claims Free Speech Victory in Texas; Displaying Political Posters is Now Legal (07/19/2000)
ROWLETT, TX -- The City Council here last night voted unanimously for a new sign ordinance that eliminates unconstitutional restrictions against political speech by residents in response to a federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas last summer.

Crossing the Line: Protest, Politics and Power at the National Republican Convention (07/10/2000)
PHILADELPHIA, PA -- At a town hall meeting next Monday, July 17th, the American Civil Liberties Union and WHYY radio are teaming up for a special presentation on balancing the rights of protesters at the National Republican Convention in Philadelphia with concerns for an orderly convention.

ACLU Report Says Response To Seattle WTO Protests was 'Flawed, Out of Control' (07/05/2000)
SEATTLE -- Drawing on more than 500 eyewitness accounts, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington State today released a comprehensive examination of civil liberties violations that occurred here last fall during the World Trade Organization conference.

Massachusetts Court Ruling Protects Citizen Critics From Police Libel Lawsuits (06/20/2000)
BOSTON -- In a resounding victory for First Amendment advocates, the Supreme Judicial Court today issued a ruling that significantly broadens the legal protections for citizens who criticize police.

Intel's Attempt to Muzzle Ex-Worker's E-Mails Violates First Amendment, ACLU Says (05/12/2000)
SAN FRANCISCO -- In a case with important ramifications for workers' rights and for the right of ordinary people to communicate by e-mail, the American Civil Liberties Union today filed a friend-of-the-court brief endorsing the right of Ken Hamidi, a former Intel employee, to air his grievances with the company by sending e-mails to his former co-workers using their work e-mail addresses. 

ACLU Warns Attorney General to Avoid Civil Liberties Disaster in Military Standoff on Island in Puerto Rico (05/01/2000)
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO -- As United States police and military gear up to remove protestors tomorrow from federal lands on the island of Vieques in Puerto Rico, the American Civil Liberties Union warned Attorney General Janet Reno to avoid a civil liberties disaster.

ACLU Cautions Miami Police in Handling of Elian Gonzalez Protests (04/27/2000)
MIAMI -- Thousands of residents here have been rallying and demonstrating to express their views in connection with the federal government's seizure of Elian Gonzalez this past weekend. Many of those arrested, and many others participating in the demonstrations, have called the ACLU for legal assistance and to complain about overly aggressive police tactics.

In Letter to D.C. Police, ACLU Warns of Possible Constitutional Violations at IMF Protests (04/16/2000)
WASHINGTON--The American Civil Liberties Union of the National Capital Area today released a letter advising police of possible civil liberties violations in connection with ongoing protests at meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund here.

ACLU Cautions DC Police As World Bank Protests Near (04/10/2000)
WASHINGTON -- Thousands of Americans are expected to rally and march here this weekend to express their views in connection with the meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

In Victory for "Underground" Speech, NYC Transit Officials Back Down on Subway Advertisement Ban (03/17/2000)
NEW YORK -- In response to a lawsuit filed last week by the New York Civil Liberties Union, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority today reversed itself and agreed to permit a controversial advertisement to run in the subways starting next month.

ACLU Supports Free Speech Rights of Groups Protesting Cleveland Indians Logo at Stadium (03/10/2000)
CLEVELAND, OH -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio today joined prominent local attorney Niki Schwartz in a legal battle over the First Amendment rights of groups seeking to demonstrate against the use of the Chief Wahoo image and the Cleveland Indians name.

In Second Lawsuit, ACLU Challenges Seattle's WTO 'No Protest' Zone on Behalf of Seven Local People (03/07/2000)
Victor Menotti, San Francisco -- He came to Seattle to attend the WTO conference as a credentialed representative of a Non-Governmental Organization, the International Forum on Globalization. On December 1 he was speaking at 5th & Pike to a journalist and interested citizens about his concerns over WTO policies on wood products. With no audible warning, police officers charged across 5th Ave. toward the small crowd. Ignoring everyone else, police pursued Menotti and arrested him; no formal criminal charges were ever filed.

ACLU Challenges California Criminal Law That Chills Citizen Complaints Against Police (02/29/2000)
LOS ANGELES, CA -- Acting on behalf of an African-American bicyclist who was physically assaulted by San Bernardino police officers, the American Civil Liberties Union affiliates in California today filed a federal lawsuit saying the man's free speech rights were violated when he attempted to file a citizen complaint about the incident.

Court Removes Gag from Federal Employees (02/11/2000)
WASHINGTON -- In an affirmation of free speech rights in the federal workplace, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled this week that federal employees are free to speak on behalf of non-profit citizens' groups to agencies of the federal government.

ACLU of Arkansas Defends Man Ticketed for Distributing Literature in National Park (02/08/2000)
The man, Chris Burch, was handing out flyers on July 4, 1999, describing a recent decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to sell off part of the Ouachita Park land to a private developer; the flyer also contained information on how to contact legislators, and notified park patrons of an upcoming public meeting on the subject sponsored by the Sierra Club. 

ACLU Defends First Amendment Rights of MI Activist Arrested for Election Day Exit Poll (01/31/2000)
DETROIT, MI -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan has asked a judge to dismiss criminal charges filed against a man arrested for taking an exit poll of voters outside a polling place during the mayoral election last November.

Federal Judge Prohibits Ohio Efforts to Banish Citizens From Public Streets (01/20/2000)
CLEVELAND, OH -- A federal judge today struck down a local ordinance that banned individuals arrested for drug offenses from walking down public streets in an Ohio neighborhood.

ACLU Calls for Action in Response to Civil Liberties Violations During WTO Protests (12/06/1999)
SEATTLE -- At a news conference today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington called for a range of actions in response to civil liberties violations by police and city officials during the meeting of the World Trade Organization here last week.

ACLU Files Suit to Protect Citizen's Right to Protest In His Own Front Yard (12/03/1999)
DES MOINES -- In a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of a man forced to remove a sign of political protest from his property, the ACLU said that the city of Coralville violated the First Amendment protection of freedom of speech.

Hospital Trying to Censor Parent's Sidewalk Protest, ACLU Charges (11/15/1999)
PITTSBURGH -- In a classic right-to-protest case, the American Civil Liberties Union is defending the father of a critically injured child who has been sued by a local hospital to stop him from picketing to warn other parents of potential dangers.