Research Reports
The First Amendment and the Right to Protest
This report traces the evolution of First Amendment rights—from colonial restrictions to modern challenges—highlighting key laws, court rulings, and social movements that shaped free speech, press, assembly, and petition. Drawing on primary sources and scholarship, it shows America’s ongoing struggle to expand and defend the nation’s enduring tradition of protest and dissent.
Modern Protest Rights in the U.S. Post 9/11 Legal Landscape to Present
This report examines how protest rights in the U.S. have evolved since 9/11, shaped by federal, state, and local laws, policies, and government surveillance. Drawing on court cases, civil liberties perspectives, and case studies—from Occupy Wall Street to Black Lives Matter—it analyzes the ongoing tension between public safety and the First Amendment’s protections for speech and assembly.