Free Speech

Protecting all North Carolinians' right to free speech and expression is at the heart of the ACLU of North Carolina's mission. It is the foundation of a vibrant democracy, and without it, other fundamental rights, like the right to vote, would wither away.

Protesters at the Moral March in Raleigh

Freedom of speech, the press, association, assembly, and petition: This set of guarantees, protected by the First Amendment, comprises what we refer to as freedom of expression. It is the foundation of a vibrant democracy, and without it, other fundamental rights, like the right to vote, would wither away.

Protecting all North Carolinians' right to free speech and expression is at the heart of the ACLU of North Carolina's mission. In 1965, the organization was founded to aid University of North Carolina students in their protest against the Speaker Ban, a law that forbade so-called "radicals" from speaking at state universities. In 1968, a court delivered the ACLU of North Carolina one of our first victories when it ruled that the Speaker Ban violated North Carolinians' free speech rights.

The ACLU-NC has continued to protect individuals' right to free speech and expression, even when people's opinions are controversial or unpopular. Since our founding, the ACLU-NC has defended the free speech rights of North Carolinians from across the spectrum -- from civil rights activists to Ku Klux Klan members -- in order to ensure that the First Amendment protects us all.

We also work to champion freedom of expression in its myriad forms—whether through protest, media, online speech, or the arts—in the face of new threats to free speech.

The Latest

Know Your Rights
An image of a protest. In the foreground, a Black man holds a sign that says "This Stops Today" with the ACLU logo. The graphic says "Know your rights when protesting" and has the ACLU of NC and an image credit.

Demonstrations and Protests

Standing up for your right to protest can be challenging, especially when demonstrations are met with violence. But knowing your rights is the most powerful weapon you have against police abuse.
Know Your Rights
An image of a protest. In the foreground, a Black man holds a sign that says "This Stops Today" with the ACLU logo. The graphic says "Know your rights when protesting" and has the ACLU of NC and an image credit.

Demostraciones y Protestas

Know Your Rights
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Know Your Rights as a Student Protester (K-12)

Press Release
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ACLU of North Carolina Urges UNC Board of Governors to Protect Academic Freedom

Issue Areas: Free Speech, Student Rights
Court Case
June 5, 2026

Asheville Blade v. City of Asheville

On December 25, 2021, Asheville police officers cleared an encampment of unhoused people and community activists in a city park. Two journalists, Melissa Coit and Matilda Bliss, were reporting on the situation for a local publication called The Asheville Blade. The police officers ordered everyone to clear the area and began threatening arrests. Coit and Bliss identified themselves to the officers as journalists and did not interfere with police operations, but the officers arrested them, charged them with trespassing, and held Bliss’s phone for 25 days without a warrant. The ACLU of North Carolina filed a lawsuit on behalf of Coit and Bliss, arguing that the arrests violated their First Amendment rights and that the seizure of Bliss’s phone violated the Fourth Amendment and the Privacy Protection Act of 1980. On October 17, 2025, the City filed a Motion to Dismiss. On May 13, 2026, the judge held a hearing on the Motion to Dismiss. The judge has not yet issued a decision.  
Court Case
February 6, 2026

Dames, et al v. Roberts, et al

Court Case
February 5, 2025

M.K. v. Stephen Fisher

Court Case
November 2, 2020

Drumwright, et al. v. Cole, et al.