http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/feed.xml Visit ACLU.org to learn more and get involved. en-us 10 2009-05-14T12:41:14-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39572prs20090512.html?s_src=RSS NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union and the Public Patent Foundation, a not-for-profit organization affiliated with Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (PUBPAT), filed a lawsuit today charging that patents on two human genes associated with breast and ovarian cancer stifle research that could lead to cures and limit women's options regarding their medical care. Mutations along the genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, are responsible for most cases of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. The lawsuit argues that the patents on these genes are unconstitutional and invalid. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39572prs20090512.html 2009-05-12T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/censorship/39488prs20090428.html?s_src=RSS NEW YORK – By a five to four decision, the Supreme Court ruled today that the Federal Communications Commission had not acted arbitrarily when it changed a long-standing policy and implemented a new ban on even "fleeting expletives" from the airwaves. The Court explicitly declined to decide whether the new rule is constitutional, and sent that issue back to the lower courts for their review. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/censorship/39488prs20090428.html 2009-04-28T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/internet/39349prs20090410.html?s_src=RSS MONTGOMERY COUNTY, VA – The Virginia Supreme Court has rejected developer Roger W. Woody's appeal of a Montgomery County Circuit Court's decision to dismiss his libel suit against Terry Ellen Carter, a Christiansburg resident who complained on her website about a large mound of dirt on one of Woody's properties. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/internet/39349prs20090410.html 2009-04-10T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39345prs20090409.html?s_src=RSS CLEARWATER, Fla. – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida received another victory in the now-famous "Fish Mural" lawsuit today when United States District Judge James D. Whittemore adopted the Magistrate Judge's Report and Recommendation. The preliminary injunction prevents the City of Clearwater from imposing fines against The Complete Angler bait and tackle shop. The order also allows them to continue displaying the First Amendment banner, as well as the wildlife mural on the side of the business while the trial proceeds. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39345prs20090409.html 2009-04-09T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39269prs20090402.html?s_src=RSS Richmond, VA – According to the ACLU of Virginia, the City of Richmond must either reinterpret its zoning ordinance to allow a large political sign on the side of a business in the Shockoe Bottom area of the city, or it must amend the ordinance to clarify that such signs are permitted. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39269prs20090402.html 2009-04-02T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39211prs20090331.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON -- Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the American League of Lobbyists (ALL) urged the White House today to rewrite a restrictive new rule on registered lobbyists seeking Recovery Act bailout funds, saying it would not achieve the transparency and accountability the administration seeks. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39211prs20090331.html 2009-03-31T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39218prs20090331.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – A bill aimed at protecting journalists and their readers’ access to information was passed in the House of Representatives by voice vote today. While the bill is a positive step forward in promoting First Amendment rights, it should have protected a wider class of journalists, not just those meeting certain requirements. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39218prs20090331.html 2009-03-31T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39189prs20090327.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – Legislation to improve access to legal assistance for those unable to afford it was introduced in the Senate yesterday. The Civil Access to Justice Act of 2009 (S. 718), sponsored by Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and eight others, was referred to the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for consideration. The American Civil Liberties Union welcomes its introduction as a positive step toward achieving much needed improvements for recipients of Legal Service Corporation (LSC) funding across the country. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39189prs20090327.html 2009-03-27T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38989prs20090306.html?s_src=RSS ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and its Pinellas County Chapter are defending Teresa A. Zemaitis, a Pinellas County public school teacher who is one of two candidates in a March 10 mayoral election. Zemaitis is being targeted in a lawsuit by the Town of Kenneth City, which alleges that no public employee may run for the seat of mayor; a position that only offers a $400/month stipend. As the stipend is not enough to live on, Zemaitis intends to continue with her current employment as a public school teacher. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38989prs20090306.html 2009-03-06T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38815prs20090224.html?s_src=RSS CLEARWATER, Fla. – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and its Pinellas County Chapter filed a federal lawsuit today on behalf of local business owners Heriberto and Lorraine Quintero, whose First Amendment rights have repeatedly been trampled on by the City of Clearwater. The ACLU of Florida seeks to prevent the city from further proceeding against the Quinteros for exercising their constitutionally protected right to free speech and political protest. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38815prs20090224.html 2009-02-24T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38791prs20090223.html?s_src=RSS MIAMI – The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the ACLU of Florida today, finding that a 2006 lawsuit filed on behalf of Amnesty International "properly states a valid claim alleging a violation of its First Amendment rights." http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38791prs20090223.html 2009-02-23T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38727prs20090212.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The ACLU called on Congress today to take steps to prevent foreign countries from restricting the free speech rights of Americans inside the U.S. The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law heard testimony from a panel of experts on a phenomenon called “libel tourism.” http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38727prs20090212.html 2009-02-12T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/youth/38702prs20090210.html?s_src=RSS LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and the Bear Valley Unified School District announced today that they will enter into a settlement that will protect students' right to free speech. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/youth/38702prs20090210.html 2009-02-10T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/religion/gen/38667prs20090205.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama announced today that he is taking the unprecedented and troubling step of forming a federal advisory committee to be made up mostly of religious leaders. Also of great concern, President Obama will increase federal funds going to religious organizations without first changing the Bush-era rules allowing federally-funded religious organizations to apply religious hiring tests to employees. http://www.aclu.org/religion/gen/38667prs20090205.html 2009-02-05T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38610prs20090130.html?s_src=RSS Gloucester, VA - The ACLU of Virginia has informed a group of 40 Gloucester citizens that it will file a friend-of-the-court brief arguing that a Gloucester Circuit Court judge erred when he ordered members of the group to pay $80,000 in legal fees after they failed in an attempt to remove four members of the Board of Supervisors from office. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38610prs20090130.html 2009-01-30T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38563prs20090123.html?s_src=RSS Yesterday the ACLU of Louisiana enrolled in a lawsuit filed by Johnny Duncan, aka "Johnny UnBlackWorthy," a veteran and resident of Amite who was detained by police because they objected to a sign on his car reading "You Might be a Nigger!." Mr. Duncan, himself an African-American, is the author of a book of political and social commentary entitled "You Might be a Nigger!," and the sign on his car was to advertise the book. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38563prs20090123.html 2009-01-23T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38438prs20090121.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – In a move intended to improve government transparency and accountability, the Obama administration today released a presidential memorandum directing government agencies to comply swiftly and thoroughly with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38438prs20090121.html 2009-01-21T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/internet/38428prs20090121.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – In a clear victory for free speech, the Supreme Court has announced that it will not hear the government's appeal of a ban on the Child Online Protection Act (COPA), the federal law that would criminalize constitutionally protected speech on the Internet. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/internet/38428prs20090121.html 2009-01-21T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/38353prs20090115.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – Today, during the first of two confirmation hearings, Attorney General-nominee Eric Holder was questioned on several issues that are relevant to ACLU’s legislative agenda for restoring meaningful checks on executive authority and preserving individual rights. http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/38353prs20090115.html 2009-01-15T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38341prs20090115.html?s_src=RSS NEW YORK – The overreaching secrecy provisions of a whistleblower law prevent the public from learning about serious allegations of fraud against the United States government, according to a complaint filed today by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Virginia on behalf of themselves, the Government Accountability Project (GAP) and OMB Watch. Complaints filed under the False Claims Act (FCA) are automatically filed under seal and those who file them are gagged from speaking about them, keeping the complaints secret from the public for months or even years. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38341prs20090115.html 2009-01-15T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/youth/38546prs20090114.html?s_src=RSS Today the ACLU of Louisiana released a letter to the Superintendents of all school districts in Louisiana, reminding them to respect the rights of students and school personnel to discuss issues surrounding the inauguration of Barack Obama on January 20. The letter was prompted by reports of students being punished after Election Day for discussion of the election and its outcome. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/youth/38546prs20090114.html 2009-01-14T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38541prs20090113.html?s_src=RSS Richmond, VA -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia today asked the Public Safety Committee of Richmond City Council to abandon attempts to pass an ordinance that would prohibit panhandlers on sidewalks or curbs from soliciting vehicle occupants. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38541prs20090113.html 2009-01-13T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38537prs20090112.html?s_src=RSS PHOENIX – Citing grave free speech concerns, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arizona today sent a letter to the Pima County Board of Supervisors, urging members to vote against a proposed policy that "chills the First Amendment rights of public employees." http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38537prs20090112.html 2009-01-12T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38225prs20090105.html?s_src=RSS NEW YORK -- In a victory for constitutional rights, two Transportation Security Authority (TSA) officials and JetBlue Airways have paid Raed Jarrar $240,000 to settle charges that they illegally discriminated against the U.S. resident based on his ethnicity and the Arabic writing on his t-shirt. TSA and JetBlue officials prevented Jarrar from boarding his August 2006 flight at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport until he agreed to cover his shirt, which read "We Will Not Be Silent" in English and Arabic, and then forced him to sit at the back of the plane. The American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on Jarrar’s behalf in August 2007. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38225prs20090105.html 2009-01-05T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38127prs20081217.html?s_src=RSS Greeneville, TN - The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN) today announced that it is representing peace activist Dan Frazier who is being sued for $40 billion for selling anti-war t-shirts over the internet. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38127prs20081217.html 2008-12-17T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38070prs20081210.html?s_src=RSS Richmond, VA - Three Virginia-based free speech organizations today filed suit in federal court in Richmond against the Virginia State Board of Elections and the general registrars of Richmond and Fairfax County, challenging the controversial new State Board of Elections policy prohibiting the wearing of buttons, t-shirts and other apparel with political messages in polling places. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/38070prs20081210.html 2008-12-10T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/internet/38074prs20081208.html?s_src=RSS PHILADELPHIA – The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania will urge a federal appeals court on Wednesday to uphold a 2007 trial court ruling that the Hermitage School District violated a student's First Amendment rights when it punished him for posting, from a home computer during non-school hours, a parody profile lampooning his principal on the social networking Web site MySpace. The case, Layshock v. Hermitage School District, raises important and unresolved issues about minors' free-speech rights, the reach of school officials' authority, and parents' rights to direct and control their children's upbringing, especially inside the home. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/internet/38074prs20081208.html 2008-12-08T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/internet/38073prs20081208.html?s_src=RSS FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida filed suit today on behalf of Katherine Evans, a former Pembroke Pines Charter high school student, to protect her freedom of speech. In November 2007, Evans was suspended for three days for engaging in protected off-campus speech. Principal Peter Bayer's actions came at a high price for Evans, an advanced placement student in her critical senior year. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/internet/38073prs20081208.html 2008-12-08T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37929prs20081125.html?s_src=RSS WILMINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina Legal Foundation (ACLU-NCLF) applauded a ruling earlier this month by New Hanover County District Court Judge John J. Carroll, III, dismissing a criminal citation issued by Wilmington police against Peter Barbeau for playing his saxophone on the sidewalk in downtown Wilmington. Despite the fact that many people enjoyed Mr. Barbeau's music and he never received a single complaint, he was issued a criminal citation under a City of Wilmington ordinance that prohibits solicitations of any kind in the Central Business District. Judge Carroll dismissed the criminal charge, finding that the City of Wilmington's ordinance against solicitations in the downtown area violated Mr. Barbeau's right to free speech and expression. Specifically, the Order states that the solicitation ordinance "is an overbroad and hence unconstitutional restriction on speech in violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution." http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37929prs20081125.html 2008-11-25T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37895prs20081113.html?s_src=RSS MARSHALL, NC – The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina Legal Foundation (ACLU-NCLF) today applauded the successful settlement of a six-year-old lawsuit against the Town of Marshall, North Carolina, for unfairly imposing a lifetime ban on Rebecca Willis, prohibiting her from dancing at the Town Depot, the public music hall in Marshall. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37895prs20081113.html 2008-11-13T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/37727prs20081107.html?s_src=RSS 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." http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/37727prs20081107.html 2008-11-07T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/natsec/gen/37400prs20081027.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – In anticipation of the presidential election, the American Civil Liberties Union today released a set of detailed recommendations on steps that the new president should take to “clean house,” renew freedom, and restore the nation’s reputation. http://www.aclu.org/natsec/gen/37400prs20081027.html 2008-10-27T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/37269prs20081021.html?s_src=RSS MIAMI – The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that Heather Gillman has been selected by the Playboy Foundation to receive the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award for "her fearlessness in speaking out on behalf of the rights of gay students" at Ponce de Leon High School, located in Florida's Panhandle. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/37269prs20081021.html 2008-10-21T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37291prs20081021.html?s_src=RSS PORTLAND – The Maine Supreme Judicial Court today struck down a Maine election statute as an unconstitutional restriction of political speech and a violation of the First Amendment. The court sided with a Cape Elizabeth man who challenged the law after he received a rebuke from the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices in the closing hours of his Republican primary campaign for election to the Maine House of Representatives. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37291prs20081021.html 2008-10-21T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/internet/37260prs20081020.html?s_src=RSS SAN FRANCISCO - Television networks should stop silencing political speech on the Internet, according to a letter the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Northern California and a coalition of public interest groups sent to four major television networks today. Several broadcasting companies have sent letters to YouTube demanding that they take down videos containing short clips of news coverage even when those clips are "fair use" and therefore legally posted. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/internet/37260prs20081020.html 2008-10-20T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/youth/37255prs20081020.html?s_src=RSS The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida announces that Heather Gillman has been selected by the Playboy Foundation to receive the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award for "her fearlessness in speaking out on behalf of the rights of gay students" at her Ponce de Leon high school, located in Florida's Panhandle. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/youth/37255prs20081020.html 2008-10-20T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37262prs20081017.html?s_src=RSS AUGUSTA - The state Ethics Commission voted 5 to 0 today to uphold free speech rights for political candidates when they dismissed a complaint filed against a Portland City Council candidate, Ed Suslovic, for his use of quotes in campaign materials. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37262prs20081017.html 2008-10-17T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37181prs20081016.html?s_src=RSS PORTLAND — Tomorrow, the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices will once again find itself in the middle of a dispute over campaign advertisements. At issue is a quote from Speaker of the House Glenn Cummings in praise of Portland's Mayor, Ed Suslovic. His opponent claims the quote of praise gives the false impression that the Mayor was endorsed by Speaker of the House Glenn Cummings, which Suslovic adamantly denies. The Maine Civil Liberties Union Foundation will represent Mayor Suslovic at the hearing on Friday, arguing that the quote was clearly not an endorsement and that candidates have freedom of speech when it comes to campaign advertisements. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37181prs20081016.html 2008-10-16T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37151prs20081015.html?s_src=RSS The Rhode Island ACLU today filed a federal lawsuit against the Town of West Warwick, challenging its discriminatory enforcement of an ordinance that significantly limits the posting of political signs in the town. The suit was filed by ACLU volunteer attorney Richard A. Sinapi on behalf of town resident Thomas K. Jones, who is both a state legislative candidate and an outspoken critic of plans to develop a water park in the town. The suit argues not only that the ordinance violates Jones' freedom of speech, but also that it has been enforced against him by town officials in a discriminatory manner. Although signs that he has displayed have been cited for violating the ordinance, dozens of other political signs supporting other candidates have not been cited at all. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37151prs20081015.html 2008-10-15T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37156prs20081014.html?s_src=RSS In response to a Rhode Island ACLU lawsuit filed last week, U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres this morning entered a temporary restraining order against enforcement of the Town of West Warwick's political sign ordinance. The ordinance had been challenged by ACLU volunteer attorney Richard A. Sinapi on behalf of town resident and state legislative candidate Thomas K. Jones. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37156prs20081014.html 2008-10-14T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/36987prs20080929.html?s_src=RSS SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today announced it filed suit on behalf of Kimberly Bock, who was unlawfully arrested and prosecuted for using profanity in the presence of two Satellite Beach police officers. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida on Friday, September 26. The judge hearing the criminal case against her threw it out of court, noting that the law is clear: using profanity alone cannot be cause for arrest. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/36987prs20080929.html 2008-09-29T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/police/gen/36938prs20080924.html?s_src=RSS Richmond, VA – The ACLU of Virginia is mailing letters today to every police chief in Virginia - 185 in all - asking each to immediately initiate programs to educate local law enforcement personnel on the right of individuals to engage in door-to-door voter registration drives. http://www.aclu.org/police/gen/36938prs20080924.html 2008-09-24T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/36732prs20080912.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/36732prs20080912.html 2008-09-12T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/36873prs20080912.html?s_src=RSS Richmond, VA - The Supreme Court of Virginia today struck down a Virginia law banning unsolicited bulk emails, or SPAM, on grounds that the law is overly broad, criminalizing not only commercial SPAM but anonymous non-commercial bulk emails containing political and religious messages. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/36873prs20080912.html 2008-09-12T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/36704prs20080909.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/36704prs20080909.html 2008-09-09T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/36636prs20080904.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/36636prs20080904.html 2008-09-04T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/36640prs20080904.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/36640prs20080904.html 2008-09-04T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/36643prs20080904.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/36643prs20080904.html 2008-09-04T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/36635prs20080903.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/36635prs20080903.html 2008-09-03T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/36634prs20080903.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/protest/36634prs20080903.html 2008-09-03T12:00:00-05:00 CrownPeak CMS