Freedom of Press and Speech
Freedom of speech is protected in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights and is guaranteed to all Americans. However, calls for censorship threaten to erode this fundamental right. The ACLU of Northern California works to protect our right to free speech from government or other forms of suppression.
Victory for Oakland Protesters, Despite Court Ruling
Thousands of people demonstrated in Oakland yesterday without any violent response from police. And the Oakland Police Department reportedly relied on its own officers to manage the crowd of protesters rather than bringing in other law enforcement agencies on mutual aid agreements...
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Know Your Rights - Free Speech, Protests, and Demonstrations in California
We produced this guide for people like you: people who are not afraid to stand up for what they believe and those who may never have thought of themselves as protesters but who are forced into action to protect a precious freedom or right. Native Californian or newly arrived immigrant, student or worker,environmentalist or pro-choice activist - if you want to speak out, this guide is for you.
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Police Violence on Peaceful Protesters Threatens the Health of Our Democracy
We’ve heard it all over the country, that Occupy encampments must come down because of “health and safety concerns.” That was the justification offered by UC Davis Chancellor Katehi in a statement calling for tents at the fledging Occupy UC Davis encampment to "be peacefully removed" by 3 pm that afternoon. Later that day, brave students sat cross-legged, peacefully linking arms. But the UC Davis Police Department proceeded to unconstitutionally douse peaceful student protesters with pepper spray.
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This is What the First Amendment Looks Like
Yesterday's main takeaway is that the First Amendment works. As many as 10,000 people can speak out, without any need for tear gas, or flash grenades, or lines of police in riot gear. This is how our democracy and our right to free speech should work, and yesterday showed that this is how it can work.
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Oakland Police Internal Investigation Isn't Good Enough
An OPD internal investigation is a necessary step, but it alone is not adequate. The public deserves an investigation that is independent, thorough, and transparent. Excessive police force is never acceptable. It's particularly problematic when used in response to political protest because the result is to make people fearful of exercising their rights.
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When Will the Oakland Police Learn?
The ACLU-NC and the NLG demanded a full investigation of yesterday's events in Oakland. The groups asked OPD to immediately produce records about the use of force in responding to the early morning raid of the Occupy Oakland encampment and the evening demonstration, and the detention of those who were arrested. The public has a right to transparency and accountability, and yesterday's events are no exception. The ACLU-NC is also urging people to email the OPD calling for transparency and an end to excessive use of force.
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Oakland Police Raid on Occupy Oakland Raises Serious Questions
Today’s early morning raid by the Oakland Police Department on Occupy Oakland raises a number of questions. There should be a thorough and transparent investigation of the way the Oakland Police Department handled the raid on Occupy Oakland and whether the department complied with its own policies on crowd control and use of force.
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Cell Phone Censorship in San Francisco?
Quick quiz: where did a government agency shut down cell service on Aug. 12, 2011 to disrupt a political protest? You wouldn’t expect the answer to be San Francisco, but that’s exactly what happened yesterday evening. BART blocked cell service on trains and platforms in San Francisco after notifying riders that there might be demonstrations near Civic Center Station.
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This is What Democracy Looks Like
The ACLU has championed the fundamental rights of unions to organize—the rights of associational freedom and freedom of speech—since its inception more than 90 years ago, beginning with efforts to counter the vehement anti-union crusades of the 1920s. Laws that inhibit workers' First Amendment rights have no place in our democracy. Indeed, our democracy is reinvigorated by people across the nation exercising their own First Amendment rights to protect this crucial principle—as recently happened on college campuses across California.
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Internet Free Speech
The Internet is a crucial platform for the distribution and discussion of news and current events, creative expression, and other constitutionally protected speech. The ACLU of Northern California works to ensure that the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment are protected online.
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ACLU to OPD: No Seriously, Hand Over the Info
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