Home : Free Speech : Right to Protest

Federal Appeals Court to Hear Two ACLU of Michigan Cases This Week (04/19/2005)
DETROIT -- An appeals court will hear two cases this week that were filed by the ACLU of Michigan. In the first case, the ACLU is arguing on behalf of the plaintiffs in a racial profiling lawsuit known as ""Bicycling While Black;"" the second case is a challenge to a city ordinance that makes it a crime to engage in a public protest unless a permit is obtained at least 30 days before the event.

ACLU of Arizona to Provide Legal Observers During Controversial "Minuteman" Border Watch Program (03/30/2005)
PHOENIX -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, in its traditional role as a guardian of civil liberties, announced today that it will be providing legal observers throughout the month of April at the site of the Minuteman Project at the Arizona-Mexico Border.

ACLU Demands that Florida Police Turn Over 'Spy Files' on Local Protesters (03/21/2005)
MELBOURNE, FL - The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and six protesters targeted as ""persons of interest"" by local police today filed public records requests demanding that the Melbourne Police Department and Brevard County Sheriff Office turn over surveillance files kept on demonstrators who attended a counter inaugural protest earlier this year.

Federal Court Rules Indiana Protester's Rights Violated During Cheney Visit (03/17/2005)
EVANSVILLE, IN-In a victory for free speech rights and the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, a federal judge ruled today that Evansville police violated a protester's constitutional rights by restricting his movement and arresting him for disorderly conduct before a 2002 appearance by Vice President Dick Cheney.

NYCLU Sues City Over Arrest of RNC Protester (02/15/2005)
NEW YORK-- The New York Civil Liberties Union today filed a lawsuit in federal court charging that the Police Department violated the civil rights of a woman who was arrested for a lawful, solo protest during the Republican National Convention last summer while dressed in a make-shift costume as a Hummer vehicle.

Judge Rules Indianapolis Police Violated Protesters' First Amendment Rights (02/09/2005)
INDIANAPOLIS -- In a lawsuit filed by the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, a federal district judge today ruled that the Indianapolis Police Department violated protesters' First Amendment rights by keeping them off of city sidewalks during a demonstration in 2003.

Following ACLU Action, University of California Ends Ban on Political Protest Abroad (01/25/2005)
LOS ANGELES - Under pressure from the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, the University of California announced that it will no longer tell students studying abroad that they are prevented from participating in political demonstrations, the ACLU said today.

D.C. Officials Pay $425,000 to Seven People Falsely Arrested at 2002 World Bank Demonstration (01/24/2005)
WASHINGTON - In a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and legal advocates, the District of Columbia today agreed to pay $425,000 to seven people who were arrested at an anti-World Bank demonstration in Pershing Park in September 2002, and to expunge all records of their arrest and detention. In papers filed in federal court, the District also agreed to make numerous reforms in its policies for handling mass demonstrations, and D.C. Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey agreed to personally sign a letter of apology to each of the seven arrestees.

ACLU Files Lawsuit on Behalf of Protesters Arrested at Bush Rally in Pennsylvania (12/09/2004)
LANCASTER, PA-The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed a federal lawsuit today on behalf of five men who were arrested after they stripped down to thong underwear and formed a human pyramid in anticipation of President Bush's motorcade procession through Lancaster County. The men attempted to re-create the infamous image that emerged from the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in Iraq.

NYC Agrees to Destroy Fingerprints Taken from Protesters During Republican National Convention (10/20/2004)
NEW YORK-Under pressure from the New York Civil Liberties Union, the city today agreed to destroy all fingerprints taken from protesters arrested for minor offenses during last summer's Republican National Convention. The agreement comes two weeks after the NYCLU filed two lawsuits challenging the routine fingerprinting of protesters as well as other practices by the Police Department, and is part of an ongoing negotiation between the NYCLU and the city to change police practices currently used against protesters.

Federal Appeals Court Finds Mass Metal-Detector Searches of Georgia Protesters Unconstitutional (10/19/2004)
COLUMBUS, GA--The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia today applauded a federal appeals court decision to strike down an unconstitutional city policy that forces thousands of protesters coming to demonstrate against a combat training school in November to undergo mass metal detector searches. The court also strongly condemned the city of Columbus for using post-9/11 fears as justification for the searches.

Pennsylvania DA Dismisses Charges Against Anti-Bush Protesters (10/15/2004)
LANCASTER, PA-The district attorney today withdrew all charges of disorderly conduct against six men who were arrested during a July 9th demonstration in anticipation of President Bush's motorcade procession. The men stripped down to thongs and attempted to re-create the infamous human pyramid image that emerged from the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in Iraq.

ACLU Defends Six Men Arrested During Protest at President Bush Rally (10/14/2004)
LANCASTER, PA-The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania on Monday will lead the defense team representing six men who were arrested after they stripped down to thong underwear and formed a human pyramid in anticipation of President Bush's motorcade procession through Lancaster County. The men attempted to re-create the infamous image that emerged from the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in Iraq.

Police Trampled Civil Rights During Republican National Convention, NYCLU Charges (10/07/2004)
NEW YORK--The New York Civil Liberties Union today filed two federal lawsuits against city officials here, charging that the Police Department's indiscriminate mass arrests during the recent Republican National Convention violated the civil rights of lawful and peaceful protesters as well as bystanders and observers.

Manhattan District Attorney Agrees to Dismiss All Cases of People Arrested at Republican National Convention Demonstration (10/06/2004)
NEW YORK--In response to a request from the New York Civil Liberties Union, the office of District Attorney Robert Morgenthau today announced it would dismiss the criminal prosecutions of 227 people arrested on August 31 at a Republican National Convention demonstration near the World Trade Center.

NYCLU Welcomes City Council Hearing on Police Practices During the Republican National Convention (09/14/2004)
NEW YORK -- The New York Civil Liberties Union today welcomed the New York City Council's decision to hold an all-day hearing dedicated to investigating police practices and poor treatment of protesters during the Republican National Convention. The NYCLU said that while the NYPD generally respected the rights of protesters, there were some serious questions raised over police tactics that stifled dissent and political debate.

Secret Service and White House Charged with Violating Free Speech Rights in ACLU Lawsuit (09/14/2004)
CHARLESTON, WV - The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a lawsuit against the United States Secret Service and Greg Jenkins, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of White House Advance, on behalf of a West Virginia couple who were arrested at a Fourth of July presidential appearance at the state Capitol because they were wearing t-shirts critical of the president.

ACLU Urges Wisconsin Police Chief to Work with Protesters to Protect Safety and Freedom (09/01/2004)
MILWAUKEE -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin said today that it has sent a letter to Chief Edward Kondracki of the La Crosse Police Department criticizing police conduct that may have chilled protesters' free speech at a campaign rally for President George W. Bush in May.

ACLU of New Jersey Charges Newark Policies Infringe on Free Speech (09/01/2004)
NEWARK--The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey filed a lawsuit today challenging two Newark policies that infringe on free speech by restricting people's rights to distribute leaflets on public sidewalks and requiring march and rally organizers to purchase expensive insurance policies.

ACLU of Massachusetts Calls for End to Massive Government Surveillance of Local Activist (08/31/2004)
BOSTON, MA -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, joined by the American Friends Service Committee and Boston City Councilors Chuck Turner and Felix Arroyo, today called for an end to government surveillance of local activist Kazi Toure, who has been subjected to intense political surveillance by law enforcement officers for nearly a week based on spurious reports that he would participate in protests at the Republican National Convention.