FIRE’s First Amendment Freedom Operation
Legal Support
Censoring public comments. Compelling speech. Suing people into silence. Sometimes it feels like no words are safe from suppression and coercion. Fortunately, we only need an acronym to describe our response: FAFO.
FIRE’s First Amendment Freedom Operation proves that violating First Amendment rights has consequences. We take on cases of everyday people who run afoul of government officials just for speaking their minds. And we’re determined to emerge victorious, knowing a win for our clients is a win for all Americans.
Here are some of our cases. . .
![Mary Hall-Rayford, Darius Dubash, and Priscilla Villarreal](/sites/default/files/styles/500x300/public/2024/02/FAFO%20-%20Hero%20image_Updated.png?h=d1cb525d&itok=0rlFRuhr)
FIRE in the Courts
![Jeff Gray holding a sign that reads "The First Amendment is Not a Crime"](/sites/default/files/styles/334x250/public/2024/02/FAFO%20-%20Jeff%20Gray.png?h=d1cb525d&itok=I0fyGgYW)
Arrested for holding a sign
FIRE sues three Georgia cities after police violated a veteran’s rights to express himself on public property.
![Priscilla Villarreal](/sites/default/files/styles/334x250/public/2024/02/FAFO%20-%20Villarreal.png?h=d1cb525d&itok=irSN3NYX)
Asking a question? Straight to jail.
When a citizen journalist asked police to confirm information she'd gotten from another source, they responded with handcuffs.
![Mary Hall-Rayford is a plaintiff in FIRE's lawsuit against Eastpointe Mayor Monique Owens](/sites/default/files/styles/334x250/public/2024/02/FAFO%20Mary%20Hall-Rayford.png?h=d1cb525d&itok=c_4xbg7c)
Mayor: "You won't talk about me!"
Michigan residents who tried to speak out during a city council meeting were shouted down by their own mayor.
![Kevin Gaughen and Dave Kocur](/sites/default/files/styles/334x250/public/2024/02/FAFO%20-%20Dauphin.png?h=d1cb525d&itok=YUrw4ATt)
You can run in this park — but not for office
Pennsylvania public parks: Picnics. Sunshine. Oppressive government censorship of political speech.
![Uvalde parent Adam Martinez](/sites/default/files/styles/334x250/public/2024/02/FAFO%20Adam%20Martinez%20Uvalde.png?h=d1cb525d&itok=MAFBwGQT)
Banned for sticking up for his son
Officials in Uvalde, Texas, banned Adam Martinez from school grounds after he criticized security at his son's school.
![Daraius Dubash and Faraz Harsini](/sites/default/files/styles/334x250/public/2024/02/FAFO%20Dubash.png?h=d1cb525d&itok=YXt-zldk)
Animal rights activists are wronged
FIRE sues after authorities trample the First Amendment in a Texas public park.