VIDEO: The Fight for Free Speech at Citrus College

Today, FIRE released a new video that chronicles Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project plaintiff Vincenzo Sinapi-Riddle’s fight for free speech at Citrus College in California. As Torch readers may recall, Sinapi-Riddle’s troubles with Citrus College began September 17, 2013—Constitution Day—when he asked another student to sign a petition protesting the National Security Agency’s surveillance program outside of the school’s designated free speech zone. A campus administrator at Citrus threatened Sinapi-Riddle with removal from campus for engaging in this conversation outside of the “free speech area,” which comprises just 1.37 percent of the Citrus campus.

With FIRE’s help, Sinapi-Riddle sued Citrus College in July for violating his First Amendment rights. As the case proceeds, Citrus has for now suspended enforcement of the free speech area and other policies that stifle free expression on campus. As a result, on Constitution Day 2014, Sinapi-Riddle and his fellow students were able to engage in open and robust debate on a range of issues, as the video documents.

Sinapi-Riddle, the president of the Young Americans for Liberty chapter at Citrus, is a passionate supporter of the First Amendment. That’s why he decided to stand up and fight for the rights of all students at Citrus to ensure their ability to express themselves on campus.

FIRE stands ready to assist students who want to fight for their First Amendment rights at their schools. Email us at standup@thefire.org.

View video