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. . .
FIRE in the Courts
Asking a question? Straight to jail.
ACTIVE CASE
When a citizen journalist asked police to confirm information she'd gotten from another source, they responded with handcuffs.
Mayor: "You won't talk about me!"
VICTORY!
Michigan residents who tried to speak out during a city council meeting were shouted down by their own mayor.
Arrested for holding a sign
Victory!
FIRE sued three Georgia cities after police violated a veteran’s rights to express himself on public property.
Banned for sticking up for his son
VICTORY!
Officials in Uvalde, Texas, banned Adam Martinez from school grounds after he criticized security at his son's school.
You can run in this park — but not for office
VICTORY!
Pennsylvania public parks: Picnics. Sunshine. Oppressive government censorship of political speech.
Arizona mom sues city after arrest for criticizing government
VICTORY!
Mayor cited unconstitutional rule banning complaints about city officials.
Animal rights activists are wronged
ACTIVE CASE
FIRE sues after authorities trample the First Amendment in a Texas public park.
Utah’s clumsy attempt to childproof social media
ACTIVE CASE
FIRE challenges Utah’s new law mandating age verification to use social media.
North Carolina’s unconstitutional ballot selfie ban
ACTIVE CASE
The government can’t restrict political speech unless it has a compelling reason — and North Carolina doesn’t have one.