Staff Reports
In a major victory for free speech, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday that authorities in Washington, D.C. "selectively" applied a law to arrest pro-life campaigners but not Black Lives Matter demonstrators in 2020. This ruling highlights the biased treatment of certain groups by the District’s authorities, favoring one viewpoint over another.
Washington DC ‘selectively enforced’ ordinance against pro-life group while ignoring BLM protesters: Federal appeals court https://t.co/wXnsBuceHc
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) August 16, 2023
During the summer of 2020, thousands of Black Lives Matter demonstrators flooded the streets of Washington, D.C., leaving behind a trail of painted and chalked messages on various surfaces. Despite violating the District’s ordinance against defacement, no arrests were made. However, in a shocking double standard, district police officers arrested two pro-life advocates for simply writing “Black Pre-Born Lives Matter” on a public sidewalk outside a Planned Parenthood facility.
The D.C. Circuit opinion, written by Judge Neomi Rao, reprimanded the government for cherry-picking winners and losers in public debates. They emphasized that the First Amendment’s protection for free speech would be undermined if the government could discriminate against disfavored viewpoints while hiding behind prosecutorial discretion. This ruling affirms that the government cannot use its power to silence opposing voices.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), representing the Frederick Douglass Foundation and Students for Life of America, filed the lawsuit challenging the discriminatory enforcement of the defacement ordinance. ADF Senior Counsel Erin Hawley successfully argued before the court, asserting that Washington officials cannot censor messages they disagree with. It is a victory not only for these particular organizations but for every American who seeks to peacefully share their views on cultural and political issues without fear of government punishment.
J.R. Gurley, the President of the Frederick Douglass Foundation Virginia Chapter, praised the court’s decision, stating that the city should not silence certain groups based on the officials’ personal disagreements with their viewpoint. The First Amendment protects the right to peacefully express a pro-life message in Washington, D.C., and thankfully, the D.C. Circuit upheld this fundamental right.
This ruling serves as a reminder that free speech should be upheld for all Americans, regardless of their beliefs or viewpoints. It is a victory for the conservative values of liberty,
