Free Speech Icon

Free Speech

The right to express yourself regardless of the popularity your views is basic to a democratic society. Throughout its history, the ACLU has met challenges from officials who cite reasons old and new to restrict this right. We recognize that if one person can be silenced, all of us are at risk.
Know Your Rights: Street Speech. Can I pass out flyers to crowds at a mall? A farmers market? At a school or campus? Find out!

Joint statement regarding settlement in S.A.F.E. v. Selah

S.A.F.E. and the City of Selah, WA have agreed to a settlement

A photo of the supreme court of the United States by Photo by Ian Hutchinson from Unsplash

FAQ: Washington and the 303 Creative v. Elenis Case

Preliminary guidance on how this decision will impact Washington.

Resources

Fighting Censorship of The Children’s Hour Set the Stage for the ACLU

Published: 
Friday, September 4, 2015
The ACLU is proud to cosponsor The Intiman Theatre’s production of The Children’s Hour, an historic play that helped establish the ACLU’s reputation for defending art and literature from censorship and marked the ACLU’s first involvement in LGBT issues.
Read more

The State of Civil Liberties at the Supreme Court

Published: 
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
The ACLU of Washington recently sponsored a talk by Steve Shapiro, National Legal Director of the ACLU, at Town Hall Seattle on “The State of Civil Liberties at the Supreme Court.”
Read more

State Supreme Court Upholds Free Speech Right to Criticize Police

Published: 
Monday, June 29, 2015
Agreeing with an ACLU of Washington amicus brief, the Washington Supreme Court has reaffirmed that individuals have the right to criticize how police are handling a situation and that such criticism cannot be the basis of a criminal conviction for obstruction.  
Read more

Greenwald Speaks: Snowden and Demonizing Dissent

Published: 
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
In June of 2013, NSA contractor Edward Snowden famously leaked knowledge of systematic government spying to journalist Glenn Greenwald of The Guardian. Over the next year, Greenwald assembled his insights about government spying and Snowden into a book titled No Place to Hide. On a book tour, he recently spoke to a packed house at Seattle’s Town Hall.
Read more

CLS and ACLU Protect Detainees’ Free Speech Rights at the Northwest Detention Center

News Release, Published: 
Monday, May 12, 2014
Today, the ACLU of Washington (ACLU) and Columbia Legal Services (CLS) voluntarily dismissed their lawsuit after successfully getting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release hunger striking detainees from solitary confinement at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) in Tacoma, Washington.  The ACLU and CLS had filed this lawsuit on April 2, 2014 to prohibit ICE from retaliating against detainees at the NWDC who engage in First Amendment protected activities by placing them in solitary confinement.
Read more

Liberty Link: Man Arrested for Videography Settles with City for $8,000

Published: 
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
A man whom Sunnyside police arrested for videotaping a SWAT team has received an $8,000 settlement, reports the Yakima Herald-Republic. After the man posted a videotape of his arrest on YouTube, police requested the charges be dropped and the man sued for the violation of his rights.
Read more

Hunger Strikers Released from Solitary Confinement at NW Detention Center

News Release, Published: 
Friday, April 4, 2014
Federal immigration authorities have released hunger strikers from solitary confinement at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma. The action came after the ACLU-WA and Columbia Legal Services sued U.S. Immigration and Enforcement for retaliating against hunger strikers. 
Read more

Lawsuit Challenges Retaliation Against Hunger Strikers at NW Detention Center

News Release, Published: 
Thursday, April 3, 2014
The ACLU-WA and Columbia Legal Services are seeking a court order to prohibit federal immigration authorities from punishing  hunger strikers by confining them isolation cells at the NW Detention Center. 
Read more

First Amendment Rights at Prison Upheld

Published: 
Friday, December 20, 2013
The ACLU of Washington recently succeeded in advocacy that reaffirmed The Militant’s First Amendment right to inform and share its opinions with incarcerated individuals.
Read more

Pages