US States Take Aim at Protesters’ Rights

Click to expand Image People bow their heads during a rally to protest the death of George Floyd, June 3, 2020, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. © 2020 AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki Peaceful protests are protected by the United States Constitution’s First Amendment as well as international human rights law. But a legislative assault aimed at eroding these protections is underway in several state legislatures. It’s nothing new. Various states have long-tried to curtail the right to protest. They do so by legislating wide definitions of what constitutes an “unlawful assembly” or a “riot” as well as increasing…

© Human Rights Watch - mardi 16 février 2021