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Following the release of the Mueller report, Republican National Committee slams media as ‘obsessed with the Democrat lie.’ Senate Republicans push two bills aimed at tackling anti-Semitic hate speech and anti-Israel language on campuses. (See PEN America’s position on previous legislative efforts to limit expression of anti-Israel speech and the risks they pose to the First Amendment.) Journalist harassed by white nationalists creates curriculum to teach about how to report on extremism and white supremacist groups, including focus on mental health and ways to combat harassment. (See PEN America’s Online Harassment Field Manual.) Cities where President Trump held a campaign rally saw a 226 percent increase in reported hate crimes over similar counties that did not hold a rally. Number of children’s books featuring African or African-American characters has more than doubled in the past ten years, as has the number of African-American authors of children’s books. (See PEN America’s study on diversity in children’s books here.) -Nora Benavidez, Director of U.S. Free Expression Programs

 

The most pressing threats and notable goings-on in free expression today

U.S.

After Mueller Report Findings, Republican National Committee Plans to ‘Slam and Shame the Media’
A Trump adviser who speaks to the president regularly told CNN’s Jim Acosta to expect Trump and his team to “slam and shame the media” over Mueller’s no-collusion conclusion. The Republican National Committee is already blasting out emails with titles like “The Media Was Obsessed With The Democrat Lie.”
CNN

Senate Republicans Push Two New Bills on Anti-Semitism
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) passed a measure this year allowing local and state governments to break ties with companies that boycott or divest from Israel. The bills are part of a strategy aimed at showing that Republicans are more willing to tackle anti-Semitic hate speech and anti-Israel language than Democrats.
NEW YORK TIMES

Journalist Harassed by Far-Right Will Teach How to Report on It
Talia Lavin, a journalist who has been attacked online by members of the far-right, will teach a course detailing ways to report on white supremacists and extremist groups. In addition to reporting methods, “Reporting on the Far-Right” will have an emphasis on maintaining physical and mental health while on the beat.
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

Hate Crimes Increased 226% in Places Trump Held a Campaign Rally in 2016, Study Claims
The study measured the correlation between counties that hosted a 2016 campaign rally and the crime rates in the months that followed. The scientists used the Anti-Defamation League’s map that measures acts of violence and compared the counties that hosted a rally with others that had similar characteristics.
BUSINESS INSIDER

Campaigners Hail ‘Seismic Shift’ in Diversity of US Children’s Books
Campaigners have hailed a “seismic shift” in U.S. children’s publishing after statistics showed that the number of kids’ books featuring African-American characters has more than doubled over the last 10 years, and the number featuring Asians more than tripled.
THE GUARDIAN

 
Global

The Christchurch Massacre Is Being Used by Government Officials around the World Who Want to Curtail Freedom of Speech
“The civil rights of a free press and free speech are only meaningful when they include the right to publish material that many find objectionable. It is in times like these—when important people are arguing to curb our freedoms—that our rights are most important.”
BUSINESS INSIDER

Egypt Bans Singer from Performing over Free-Speech Remarks
An online video clip shows Sherine Abdel-Wahab saying during a performance in Bahrain: “Here I can say whatever I want. In Egypt, anyone who talks gets imprisoned.” Egypt’s Musicians Union responded by barring the singer, popularly known by her first name, from performing. It also summoned her for questioning.
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Media Attacks in Balkans Harming EU Accession Hopes
In order to reach their goal of joining the EU by 2025, Serbia and Montenegro must meet a raft of demands from Brussels, including the key condition of fostering a free and safe media climate. But so far, progress on that front has been minimal or even backward in two countries where journalists have reason to fear for their safety.
FRANCE 24

Thousands in Germany Protest Planned EU Internet Reforms
Tens of thousands of people have marched in cities across Germany to protest planned European Union copyright reforms that they fear will lead to online censorship. The new bill would require companies such as YouTube and Facebook to take responsibility for copyrighted material that’s uploaded to their platforms.
ASSOCIATED PRESS

DARE is a project of PEN America’s #LouderTogether campaign, bringing you a daily-curated roundup of the most important free expression-related news from the U.S. and abroad. Send your feedback and story suggestions to [email protected]