The First Amendment protects your right to assemble and express your views through protestation. However, police force and other government officials are allowed to place certain narrow restrictions on the practice of voice communication rights. Make sure you're prepared past brushing upwardly on your rights before heading out into the streets.

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A collage of fists raised in protest and an image of someone using a cellphone.

I'k organizing a protest

Your rights

  • Your rights are strongest in what are known equally "traditional public forums," such as streets, sidewalks, and parks. Yous likewise likely accept the right to speak out on other public property, like plazas in front of government buildings, every bit long as you are not blocking access to the government building or interfering with other purposes the  property was designed for.
  • Private property owners tin can ready rules for speech on their property. The government may not restrict your spoken language if it is taking place on your own belongings or with the consent of the property possessor.
  • Counterprotesters as well accept free speech rights. Police force must care for protesters and counterprotesters equally. Police are permitted to keep antagonistic groups separated but should allow them to be inside  sight and audio of 1 some other.
  • When you are lawfully nowadays in any public space, you have the right to photograph anything in plain view, including federal buildings and the police force. On private property, the owner may set rules related to photography or video.

Do I need a let?

  • Yous don't need a permit to march in the streets or on sidewalks, as long equally marchers don't obstruct car or pedestrian traffic. If you don't have a permit, constabulary officers can enquire you to move to the side of a street or sidewalk to let others laissez passer or for safe reasons.
  • Certain types of events may require permits. These include a march or parade that requires blocking traffic or street closure; a large rally requiring the use of audio amplifying devices; or a rally over a certain size at nearly parks or plazas.
  • While certain permit procedures require submitting an application well in advance of the planned event, constabulary tin can't use those procedures to foreclose a protest in response to breaking news events.
  • Restrictions on the route of a march or sound equipment might violate the First Amendment if they are unnecessary for traffic control or public safety, or if they interfere significantly with effective advice to the intended audience.
  • A permit cannot be denied because the event is controversial or will express unpopular views.
  • If the permit regulations that apply to your protest crave a fee for a permit, they should permit a waiver for those who cannot afford the charge.

What to do if you believe your rights have been violated

  • When you tin can, write down everything you lot remember, including the officers' bluecoat and patrol car numbers and the agency they work for.
  • Get contact information for witnesses.
  • Take photographs of any injuries.
  • Once you lot accept all of this information, you tin can file a written complaint with the agency's internal affairs division or civilian complaint board.

I'grand attending a protestation

Your rights

  • Your rights are strongest in what are known equally "traditional public forums," such every bit streets, sidewalks, and parks. You also likely have the right to speak out on other public property, like plazas in forepart of government buildings, as long equally you lot are not blocking access to the government edifice or interfering with other purposes the  holding was designed for.
  • Private belongings owners can set rules for voice communication on their property. The regime may not restrict your speech communication if it is taking identify on your own belongings or with the consent of the property owner.
  • Counterprotesters also have costless speech rights. Police must care for protesters and counterprotesters equally. Law are permitted to go on antagonistic groups separated but should allow them to be inside  sight and sound of 1 another.
  • When you are lawfully present in any public infinite, yous take the right to photograph anything in plain view, including federal buildings and the police. On private property, the owner may fix rules related to photography or video.
  • You don't demand a permit to march in the streets or on sidewalks, as long every bit marchers don't obstruct automobile or pedestrian traffic. If you don't have a let, police force officers tin ask y'all to move to the side of a street or sidewalk to let others pass or for safety reasons.

What to do if yous believe your rights have been violated

  • When you can, write down everything you remember, including the officers' badge and patrol car numbers and the bureau they piece of work for.
  • Get contact data for witnesses.
  • Take photographs of whatever injuries.
  • Once yous accept all of this information, you tin can file a written complaint with the bureau'due south internal affairs division or civilian complaint board.

What happens if the police issues an club to disperse the protestation?

  • Shutting downwardly a protestation through a dispersal social club must be law enforcement'southward final resort. Police may not break up a gathering unless at that place is a clear and present danger of anarchism, disorder, interference with traffic, or other firsthand threat to public condom.
  • If officers issue a dispersal order, they must provide a reasonable opportunity to comply, including sufficient time and a clear, unobstructed exit path.
  • Individuals must receive articulate and detailed observe of a dispersal guild, including how much fourth dimension they have to disperse, the consequences of failing to disperse, and what clear exit route they can follow, before they may be arrested or charged with any criminal offense.

I desire to accept pictures or shoot video at a protest

Your rights

  • When you are lawfully present in whatsoever public space, you lot have the right to photograph anything in plain view, including federal buildings and the police. (On private property, the owner may fix rules about photography or video.)
  • Police force officers may not confiscate or demand to view your photographs or video without a warrant, nor may they delete data nether any circumstances. However, they may order citizens to cease activities that are truly interfering with legitimate law enforcement operations.
  • If you lot are videotaping, exist enlightened that at that place is an important legal distinction between a visual photographic record (fully protected) and the sound portion of a videotape, which some states have tried to regulate under state wiretapping laws.

What to do if you are stopped or detained for taking photographs

  • Ever remain calm and never physically resist a constabulary officer.
  • Constabulary cannot detain y'all without reasonable suspicion that you have or are about to commit a crime or are in the procedure of doing and then.
  • If you are stopped, ask the officer if you are gratuitous to go out. If the answer is yes, calmly walk abroad.
  • If you are detained, ask the officeholder what crime you are suspected of committing, and remind the officer that taking photographs is your right under the Start Amendment and does not constitute reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.

What to do if you believe your rights take been violated

  • When you tin, write down everything you remember, including the officers' badge and patrol car numbers and the agency they work for.
  • Become contact information for witnesses.
  • Have photographs of any injuries.
  • Once you have all of this information, you can file a written complaint with the agency's internal affairs division or civilian complaint board.

I was stopped past the police while protesting

Your rights

  • Stay calm. Make sure to go along your hands visible. Don't fence, resist, or obstruct the police, even if you believe they are violating your rights. Point out that you are not disrupting anyone else'southward activity and that the First Amendment protects your actions.
  • Inquire if you are free to go out. If the officer says yes, calmly walk away.
  • If y'all are under abort, you have a right to ask why. Otherwise, say you wish to remain silent and ask for a lawyer immediately. Don't say anything or sign anything without a lawyer.
  • You have the right to make a local phone call, and if y'all're calling your lawyer, police are not allowed to listen.
  • You never take to consent to a search of yourself or your holding. If y'all do explicitly consent, it can affect y'all later in court.
  • Law may "pat down" your habiliment if they suspect you have a weapon and may search you after an arrest.
  • Police force officers may not confiscate or demand to view your photographs or video without a warrant, nor may they delete data under any circumstances. Still, they may social club citizens to finish activities that are truly interfering with legitimate law enforcement operations.

What to do if you believe your rights have been violated

  • When you lot can, write downwardly everything you remember, including the officers' bluecoat and patrol car numbers and the agency they work for.
  • Get contact information for witnesses.
  • Take photographs of whatever injuries.
  • Once y'all take all of this information, you tin can file a written complaint with the agency's internal affairs sectionalization or civilian complaint board.