Home : Free Speech : Right to Protest

Federal Court Upholds Exclusion Of Denver Residents From Bush Speech Based On Political Expression (11/07/2008)
DENVER – In a blow to free speech, a federal district court judge found that no constitutional rights were violated when Leslie Weise and Alex Young were ejected from one of President Bush's speeches in Denver in March 2005. The lawsuit, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Colorado, charged that Weise and Young, two of the so-called "Denver 3," were ejected simply because they arrived at the event in a car with the bumper sticker reading "No More Blood For Oil."

New FBI Guidelines Open Door to Further Abuse (09/12/2008)
Washington, DC - Following a briefing today at the Department of Justice (DOJ), the American Civil Liberties Union reiterated its deep concern over new guidelines that would govern FBI investigations. The new guidelines would lower standards for beginning "assessments" (precursors to investigations), conducting surveillance and gathering evidence, and would replace existing guidelines for five types of existing guidelines: general criminal, national security, foreign intelligence, civil disorders and demonstrations.

ACLU of Arizona Legal Director Found "Not Guilty" on Trespass Charge (09/09/2008)
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Justice of the Peace pro tempore David H. Fletcher today ruled that ACLU Foundation of Arizona Legal Director Dan Pochoda did not engage in any unlawful behavior prior to his November 3rd arrest by Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies outside the Pruitt furniture store in Phoenix.

ACLU Renews Its Call For Investigation Into Civil Liberties Violations At RNC (09/04/2008)
ST. PAUL - In response to reports of widespread civil liberties abuses in connection with mass arrests, police raids on private homes and the detention of several journalists during the Republican National Convention (RNC), the American Civil Liberties Union renewed its call for an investigation into the actions of law enforcement there.

ACLU Sues St. Paul and Minneapolis For Release Of Educational Materials Seized During Raids (09/04/2008)
ST. PAUL - The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota filed a lawsuit in federal court late last night calling for the release of literature and educational materials that were illegally seized by police during mass raids on private homes and a gather place earlier this week. The raids were part of what appears to be a massive government crackdown on free speech during the Republican National Convention.

At RNC, Arraignments Begin And Arrests Continue (09/04/2008)
ST. PAUL - Hundreds of people arrested during a crackdown on free speech in the first days of the Republican National Convention (RNC) were arraigned yesterday. The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota assembled teams of attorneys to offer legal services at the proceedings.

Kentucky Photojournalists Released From Jail After Being Held For 36 Hours Without Charges (09/03/2008)
ST. Paul - Two photojournalism students were released this morning after being held without charge for 36 hours following their arrest during the Republican National Convention (RNC). Their advisor was also arrested and released earlier without charges.

ACLU To Represent Reporter And Others Arrested At RNC (09/03/2008)
ST. PAUL -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota has coordinated legal counsel for Amy Goodman, host of the popular television and radio program DemocracyNow!, and two of that show’s producers who were detained during mass arrests surrounding the Republican National Convention (RNC). Goodman was released on misdemeanor charges three hours after her arrest, while the producers, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar, were held longer and charged with felony intent to riot. Those charges were suspended pending investigation. The ACLU of MN is calling for all charges against Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar to be dropped.

ACLU Calls For Investigation Into Raids And Mass Arrests At RNC (09/02/2008)
MINNEAPOLIS - Amid charges of police misconduct during the Republican National Convention in Minnesota, the American Civil Liberties Union called for accountability for any unconstitutional actions there.

Federal Court Rules That D.C. Police Unlawfully Arrested Anti-Bush Protesters On Inauguration Day (06/18/2008)
Washington, DC — A federal court ruled yesterday that the District of Columbia had unlawfully arrested about 70 people during an anti-war and anti-Bush protest march on Inauguration Day 2005. The arrestees are now entitled to a trial to determine the amount of the District’s monetary liability to them.

MCLU Asks Supreme Court To Reject Augusta's $2,000 Fee for Protest March As Violation of Free Speech Rights (05/29/2008)
PORTLAND, Maine. - Yesterday, the Maine Civil Liberties Union Foundation asked the US Supreme Court to review the constitutionality of the fees of about $2,000 imposed on marchers by the City of Augusta. The request came in the form of a petition for a writ of certiorari--a mechanism for the Supreme Court to review decisions of lower courts across the country-for the case of Sullivan, et al. v. City of Augusta, a case originally filed by the MCLU in 2004. The lower court in question in this case is the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston, which last year upheld Augusta's parade fee provision even as applied to individuals who could not afford the fee.

In ACLU Lawsuit Regarding First Amendment Activity During DNC, Parties Agree On Some Issues; Additional Issues Remain For Federal Court Resolution (05/23/2008)
DENVER -- Attorneys representing the City and County of Denver and the Secret Service, and ACLU of Colorado attorneys representing twelve advocacy organizations, filed documents late Thursday evening in federal district court indicating that they had reached agreement on some of the issues raised in an ACLU lawsuit filed May 1 that seeks to protect the right of free expression during the time of the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August, 2008.

Berryville Revises Demonstration Ordinance Under Pressure from ACLU and VOP (04/15/2008)
Berryville, VA – Less than a month after the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia and the Virginia Organizing Project threatened to file a lawsuit, the Town Council of Berryville has repealed its old demonstration and parade ordinance and passed a new one.

Coalition Appeals City’s Incomplete “Conditional Alternative Permit” For RNC March (03/06/2008)
St. Paul, MN – Cooperating attorneys for the ACLU of Minnesota and the Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild today filed an appeal to the St. Paul City Council on behalf of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, challenging the conditions imposed by the City of St. Paul on the “Conditional Alternative Permit” that was granted to the Coalition earlier this week. The appeal challenges the failure of the City to grant the Coalition the permit that was requested due to the imposition of conditions on the permit which are not authorized by city ordinance. “The permit that we received is substantially different from the one that was requested, so we are asking the City Council to protect our constitutional rights,” said Coalition member Marie Braun. The “Conditional Alternative Permit” issued to the Coalition completely omitted any reference to important details such as a march route within sight and sound of the convention. “Tens of thousands of people will be coming from the Midwest and around the country to protest the illegal and immoral war against Iraq. We need these important details as soon as possible so we can work out the logistics of moving 50,000 people through the streets of St. Paul in a safe manner,” Braun added.

ACLU announces settlement of 4-year-old lawsuit over Colorado (03/05/2008)
The ACLU of Colorado announced today a settlement of a four-year-old legal battle over state regulations that apply to rallies, demonstrations, and other First Amendment activity on the West steps of the Capitol Building and nearby locations administered by the Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration (DPA).

ACLU Sues Law Enforcement for Shielding President Bush From Protestors (01/15/2008)
ALBUQUERQUE - The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of New Mexico filed a lawsuit in federal court today on behalf of several New Mexico residents and advocacy organizations who were made to stand more than 150 yards away from the site of a fundraiser being attended by the president as they peacefully protested the views of the administration, while a group of people expressing support for President Bush were allowed to stand only a few feet from the fundraiser site.

ACLU of North Carolina Asks North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission to Investigate Judge’s Decision to Close Courtroom in Blackwater Protesters’ Trial on Trespass Charges (01/09/2008)
RALEIGH – The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina Legal Foundation (ACLU-NCLF) filed a complaint today with the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission, asking the Commission to investigate a Currituck County district judge’s decision to clear the courtroom on December 5, 2007, during a criminal trial. The decision, made by Judge Edgar Barnes, came during the criminal trespass trial of seven individuals arrested in October 2007 after protesting on Blackwater USA’s property in Moyock. Based upon reports that the ACLU-NCLF received from several individuals who were present in the courtroom that day, including some of the defendants, several reporters and a concerned citizen, it appears that Judge Edgar Barnes held a significant portion of the trial behind closed doors, ordering sheriff’s deputies to clear the courtroom. Everyone, except the defendants, prosecutors, sheriff’s witnesses and a Blackwater official, was immediately barred from the trial. Reportedly, Judge Barnes did not give a reason for clearing the courtroom. Further, by all reports, there was no disruption on the part of the public attending the trial. Judge Barnes then proceeded to try the cases, finding all seven defendants guilty of trespassing.

ACLU of Arizona Wins Major Victory in Challenge to Law Criminalizing Sale of Anti-War Shirts (09/27/2007)
PHOENIX - In a victory for free speech, a federal judge today issued a preliminary injunction halting the enforcement of an Arizona law that makes it a crime to sell anti-war t-shirts in Arizona. The landmark decision in this closely-watched lawsuit held that the misguided law is a content-based restriction on political speech that violates the First Amendment.

ACLU Calls Government Settlement in Anti-Bush T-Shirt Case a Victory for Free Speech (08/16/2007)
CHARLESTON, WV – The American Civil Liberties Union today announced a successful resolution of the case of Jeffery and Nicole Rank, the young Texas couple arrested on the West Virginia capitol grounds on July 4, 2004 for peacefully expressing their opposition to President Bush. According to the settlement agreement, the United States government will pay the Ranks $80,000.

White House Policy Illegally Silences Americans Critical of Bush, ACLU Charges (06/28/2007)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a federal lawsuit against a former high-level White House staffer for enacting a policy that unlawfully excluded individuals perceived to be critical of the administration from public events where President Bush was present. The policy is laid out in an October 2002 "Presidential Advance Manual" obtained by the ACLU.