Following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Perry County, Tennessee Sheriff Nick Weems ordered the arrest of Larry Bushart for sharing a meme critical of Kirk on Facebook. Bushart was charged with threatening mass violence, a charge that the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) argues violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights, as his post was protected political speech and lacked probable cause. The lawsuit alleges that Weems and an investigator, Jason Morrow, maliciously prosecuted Bushart and omitted crucial information from the warrant application to manufacture probable cause. Bushart spent 37 days in jail before the charges were dropped, leading to financial and emotional distress, and chilling effects on his and others’ freedom of speech.
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In a recent case, Judge Amul Thapar argued that the First Amendment’s protection of free speech may not definitively apply to non-citizens within the United States. This assertion contradicts the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bridges v. Wilson (1945), which explicitly recognized free speech rights for resident aliens. Thapar’s historical argument, citing the Alien and Sedition Acts, is also flawed as these acts were widely criticized and deemed unconstitutional due to their infringement on speech, and were meant to apply to both citizens and non-citizens. Furthermore, restricting the speech of non-citizens would inevitably harm the free speech rights of citizens who wish to hear from them.
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A retired Tennessee law enforcement officer is suing after being arrested and held in jail for over a month following a Facebook post containing a meme referencing the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The lawsuit claims his First Amendment rights were violated and that he was unlawfully prosecuted for protected political speech. Bushart was arrested for “threatening mass violence at a school,” due to the meme’s reference to a school shooting, and held on a $2 million bond before the charge was dropped. The lawsuit names Perry County, its sheriff, and an investigator as defendants, seeking damages for the alleged violations.
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In response to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s order designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a “foreign terrorist organization,” a lawsuit was filed by the CAIR-Foundation and CAIR-Florida. The lawsuit seeks to have the order declared unlawful and unconstitutional, arguing that DeSantis overstepped the federal government’s authority in identifying terrorist organizations. CAIR claims that the order was issued because of the organization’s defense of free speech rights related to Palestinian human rights. DeSantis’s order, which also targeted the Muslim Brotherhood, would prohibit state agencies from providing contracts, employment, and funds to these groups.
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Europe’s water resources face significant challenges stemming from pollution, droughts, and floods, impacting vital ecosystems. Euronews is launching a series exploring these issues, examining the importance of ecosystem protection and improved wastewater management. The series will feature video reports, animated explainers, and live debates to highlight innovative water solutions across the continent. Ultimately, the program aims to shed light on the critical need to safeguard Europe’s water.
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Reddit has initiated legal action against Australia’s new social media ban for users under 16, arguing the law infringes upon free political expression. The lawsuit, filed with the High Court, names the Commonwealth of Australia and the Communications Minister as defendants. The social media platform, along with others, has complied with the ban but expressed concerns about privacy and political expression. This marks a second legal challenge to the ban, following a similar case filed by two teenagers.
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As part of the ongoing immigration crackdown, the United States will now require visitors from countries like the UK to provide their social media history for the past five years. This new policy, deemed mandatory for tourists and visa holders, will be implemented through the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA). Furthermore, the State Department issued a memo instructing staff to scrutinize visa applicants for involvement in activities like “fact-checking” and content moderation. This follows earlier restrictions barring entry to those deemed to be against free speech, illustrating the administration’s increasing efforts to control who enters the country and what viewpoints are allowed.
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Yao Zhang, a Quebec-based YouTuber, has become a target of the Chinese government after criticizing the Communist Party of China on her channel, which has over 175,000 subscribers. She has been subject to an “spamouflage” campaign, including AI-generated explicit images and doxxing attempts, which the Canadian government has attributed to the People’s Republic of China. Zhang has also faced threats against herself and her family, including pressure on relatives in China, prompting her to be extremely cautious and limit communication. Despite these challenges, Zhang continues to speak out, recognizing the risks and the importance of her activism.
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X, formerly Twitter, has prohibited the European Commission from advertising on its platform after being fined €120 million by the EU. The fine was issued due to the platform’s deceptive blue tick system, which the EU deemed insufficient in verifying users and potentially exposing them to scams. In response to the fine and the subsequent ad ban, X accused the EU of exploiting its advertising system, while Elon Musk expressed disapproval of the EU, leading to accusations of censorship from US officials.
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The maker of the ICEBlock app, Joshua Aaron, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, alleging violations of free speech after the app was removed from Apple’s app store. The lawsuit claims that then-Attorney General Pam Bondi used her influence to pressure Apple into removing the app, which tracked U.S. immigration agents, arguing it endangered law enforcement. Aaron argues that his app is protected by the First Amendment and that the government’s threats of criminal investigation against him are unlawful. The app, which had over 1 million users, was removed from Apple’s store in October after Bondi’s demands, with Apple citing that the app violated their policy by providing location information that could harm law enforcement.
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John Q. Hosedrinker