Wednesday, August 19, 2020
#FREESPEECH in the News August 19, 2020
As the Citadel of Free Speech here in Cleveland, we work to protect and promote the basis of our democracy by sharing related stories, commentary, and opinions on free speech in the 21st century. Here's what's making the news – and what you should know about – in the past week.
A Seattle judge ruled Thursday five news outlets must turn over unreleased photos and videos from a late May protest to local law enforcement. The Seattle Police Department believes the raw footage would help solve an ongoing arson and theft investigation, but First Amendment lawyers believe the ruling is troubling.
While Seattle police want the footage to solve their investigation, it creates a problem for reporters whose job is not to help the entities they cover, as the National Press Photographers Association and Press Freedom Defense Fund said in a joint statement Friday afternoon.
The law recognizes that certain categories of individuals do not have to comply with investigations like this, due to the sensitivities of their jobs. Journalists are generally included in that category of people, and usually through state shield laws and other legal precedents, don’t have to turn over unpublished notes or footage.
2.) County commissioners abandon free speech restrictions after public outcry
After facing a deluge of criticism, the Oklahoma County Commission has voted down a controversial plan to place limits on protesters.
Specifically, the measure would have limited where protesters could assemble and how loud they could be. When news of the proposal came out earlier this week, it came under immediate attack as an unconstitutional restriction on citizens’ First Amendment rights.
Protesters gathered at the Oklahoma County Courthouse, and they came from across the ideological spectrum to decry the resolution.
The decision to not move forward with the resolution came after hours of public comment.
3.) Judge Halts Enforcement of LGBT Anti-Discrimination Law Against Photographer
A federal judge has issued a ruling preventing the city of Louisville from enforcing an anti-discrimination law against a wedding photographer who claims that the ordinance prevents her from refusing to photograph a same-sex wedding.
The city’s rule known as the “Fairness Ordinance” was passed in 1999, and prevents discrimination based upon sexual orientation and gender identity for housing, employment and public accommodations.
However, U.S. District Judge Justin Walker issued a ruling Friday that puts into question the future of the ordinance, and for the time being prevents the city from enforcing the rule against wedding photographer Chelsey Nelson while her lawsuit continues in court.
Nelson filed her lawsuit in November of last year, and claims the law violates her free speech rights because she could be sued if she refused to photograph a same-sex wedding if asked and because the law prohibits her from speaking her beliefs on her professional website.
