The Port Brushes Up on Free Speech Rights

Published: 
Thursday, June 23, 2011

For those of you who took last week’s pop quiz on street speech, you will be glad to know that some area police officers also are brushing up on free speech rights of people on sidewalks and in public plazas.

After an incident last summer in which a Port of Seattle police officer incorrectly informed peace activists that they would need a permit in order to hand out leaflets at the public walkway near Pier 66, the Port has designed a training scenario to refresh its officers’ knowledge of First Amendment protections. Their understanding of free speech rights is on the mark, and they articulate clearly the role of police during public protests.

After taking the ACLU-WA quiz and reading this training bulletin, you should be well-prepared for this weekend’s big free speech event: the Pride Parade.