The First Amendment protects your correct to assemble and express your views through protest. However, constabulary and other authorities officials are allowed to place certain narrow restrictions on the exercise of oral communication rights. Make sure you're prepared past brushing up 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'm organizing a protestation

Your rights

  • Your rights are strongest in what are known equally "traditional public forums," such as streets, sidewalks, and parks. Y'all as well likely have the right to speak out on other public belongings, similar plazas in forepart of government buildings, as long as y'all are non blocking access to the government building or interfering with other purposes the  property was designed for.
  • Individual property owners can set rules for oral communication on their holding. The government may not restrict your speech if information technology is taking place on your ain property or with the consent of the property possessor.
  • Counterprotesters likewise have free speech rights. Police must treat protesters and counterprotesters as. Law are permitted to proceed antagonistic groups separated merely should allow them to exist within  sight and audio of one another.
  • When you are lawfully present in any public space, you have the right to photograph anything in plain view, including federal buildings and the police force. On private holding, the owner may fix rules related to photography or video.

Do I need a permit?

  • You lot don't need a allow to march in the streets or on sidewalks, as long as marchers don't obstruct car or pedestrian traffic. If you lot don't accept a permit, constabulary officers can ask yous to motility to the side of a street or sidewalk to permit others laissez passer or for safety reasons.
  • Sure types of events may crave permits. These include a march or parade that requires blocking traffic or street closure; a large rally requiring the use of sound amplifying devices; or a rally over a certain size at most parks or plazas.
  • While certain permit procedures crave submitting an application well in advance of the planned consequence, law tin't use those procedures to prevent 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 constructive communication to the intended audience.
  • A let cannot be denied because the upshot is controversial or volition express unpopular views.
  • If the allow regulations that apply to your protest require a fee for a let, they should allow a waiver for those who cannot afford the charge.

What to do if you believe your rights have been violated

  • When you lot can, write down everything you recall, including the officers' badge and patrol machine numbers and the agency they piece of work for.
  • Get contact data for witnesses.
  • Take photographs of any injuries.
  • Once you have all of this information, you lot can file a written complaint with the bureau's internal affairs partitioning or noncombatant complaint board.

I'm attending a protest

Your rights

  • Your rights are strongest in what are known equally "traditional public forums," such as streets, sidewalks, and parks. Yous also probable have the right to speak out on other public property, like plazas in front of authorities buildings, as long as you are not blocking admission to the authorities building or interfering with other purposes the  property was designed for.
  • Private property owners tin can prepare rules for speech on their property. The government may non restrict your speech communication if information technology is taking place on your own property or with the consent of the belongings owner.
  • Counterprotesters besides take complimentary speech communication rights. Law must care for protesters and counterprotesters equally. Police are permitted to continue combative groups separated merely should let them to exist inside  sight and audio of 1 another.
  • When you are lawfully nowadays in whatsoever public space, you take the correct to photograph annihilation in plain view, including federal buildings and the police. On private property, the owner may set rules related to photography or video.
  • Yous don't need a permit to march in the streets or on sidewalks, every bit long as marchers don't obstruct car or pedestrian traffic. If yous don't have a allow, police force officers can ask you to move to the side of a street or sidewalk to let others pass or for safety reasons.

What to do if y'all believe your rights have been violated

  • When yous tin can, write downward everything you remember, including the officers' badge and patrol machine numbers and the agency they work for.
  • Get contact information for witnesses.
  • Take photographs of any injuries.
  • Once you take all of this information, you lot can file a written complaint with the bureau'southward internal affairs sectionalization or civilian complaint board.

What happens if the constabulary issues an order to disperse the protest?

  • Shutting down a protestation through a dispersal order must be law enforcement's terminal resort. Police force may not break up a gathering unless in that location is a clear and present danger of riot, disorder, interference with traffic, or other immediate threat to public safety.
  • If officers issue a dispersal order, they must provide a reasonable opportunity to comply, including sufficient time and a clear, unobstructed get out path.
  • Individuals must receive articulate and detailed discover of a dispersal order, including how much time they take to disperse, the consequences of failing to disperse, and what articulate get out route they can follow, earlier they may be arrested or charged with any offense.

I want to take pictures or shoot video at a protest

Your rights

  • When y'all are lawfully present in any public space, you have the right to photograph anything in plain view, including federal buildings and the police. (On private belongings, the owner may prepare rules about photography or video.)
  • Police officers may not confiscate or demand to view your photographs or video without a warrant, nor may they delete data under any circumstances. However, they may society citizens to cease activities that are truly interfering with legitimate law enforcement operations.
  • If you are videotaping, be aware that in that location is an important legal distinction betwixt a visual photographic record (fully protected) and the sound portion of a videotape, which some states take tried to regulate under land wiretapping laws.

What to do if y'all are stopped or detained for taking photographs

  • Always remain calm and never physically resist a police officer.
  • Police cannot detain you without reasonable suspicion that you lot take or are almost to commit a law-breaking or are in the process of doing and then.
  • If you are stopped, inquire the officeholder if you are complimentary to leave. If the reply is yes, calmly walk abroad.
  • If you are detained, inquire the officer what crime you are suspected of committing, and remind the officer that taking photographs is your right under the Start Subpoena and does not constitute reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.

What to do if you believe your rights accept been violated

  • When yous tin can, write downwardly everything y'all remember, including the officers' badge and patrol car numbers and the agency they work for.
  • Get contact information for witnesses.
  • Take photographs of any injuries.
  • Once y'all take all of this information, you can file a written complaint with the bureau'south internal diplomacy partition or noncombatant complaint board.

I was stopped by the constabulary while protesting

Your rights

  • Stay at-home. Make certain to keep your hands visible. Don't argue, resist, or obstruct the law, even if you believe they are violating your rights. Point out that you are not disrupting anyone else's activity and that the Showtime Subpoena protects your actions.
  • Ask if you are complimentary to exit. If the officer says aye, calmly walk abroad.
  • If you are nether abort, y'all accept a correct to enquire why. Otherwise, say y'all wish to remain silent and ask for a lawyer immediately. Don't say anything or sign anything without a lawyer.
  • Y'all take the right to make a local call, and if y'all're calling your lawyer, law are not allowed to heed.
  • You never have to consent to a search of yourself or your belongings. If yous do explicitly consent, it can affect you later in court.
  • Police force may "pat down" your article of clothing if they suspect you take a weapon and may search you after an arrest.
  • Police officers may not confiscate or demand to view your photographs or video without a warrant, nor may they delete information under whatever circumstances. However, they may order citizens to cease activities that are truly interfering with legitimate law enforcement operations.

What to do if you believe your rights have been violated

  • When you can, write down everything you lot call up, including the officers' bluecoat and patrol car numbers and the agency they work for.
  • Get contact information for witnesses.
  • Take photographs of any injuries.
  • In one case you take all of this information, you can file a written complaint with the agency'southward internal diplomacy division or noncombatant complaint lath.