The First Amendment protects our freedom to speak, assemble, and associate with others. These rights are essential to our democratic system of governance. The Supreme Court has written that freedom of expression is "the matrix, the indispensable condition of nearly every other form of freedom." Without it, other fundamental rights, like the right to vote, would cease to exist. Since its founding, the ACLU has advocated for broad protection of our First Amendment rights in times of war and peace, to ensure that the marketplace of ideas remains vigorous and unrestricted.
Freedom of Speech and Association
Cameron v. District of Columbia – Challenging Practice of Needlessly Retaining Arrested Individuals' Cell Phones for Months or Years Without Process
November 4, 2021Mashaud v. Boone – What Does “Constitutionally Protected Activity" Mean in the D.C. Stalking Law?
October 4, 2021Asinor v. District of Columbia – Challenging Use of Chemical Irritants and Less-Lethal Projectiles Against Demonstrators and Journalists
August 12, 2021
The Latest
In Partial Settlement of Civil Rights Suits on Behalf of...
April 13, 2022ACLU-DC Responds to Verdict in Kyle Rittenhouse Case
November 19, 2021Class Action Lawsuit Challenges D.C. Police Department's Unlawful...
November 3, 2021
Three Lessons from J20
April 26, 2021
D.C. to Pay $1.6 Million to Settle Claims from 2017 Inauguration...
April 26, 2021ACLU-DC Files Complaint on Behalf of Demonstrator Injured By...
October 14, 2020D.C. Police Officers Coordinated with Federal Law Enforcement to...
July 8, 2020