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DARE To Be Informed

PEN America’s take on the most pressing threats to free expression

U.S.

Mass Arrests On Inauguration Day Swept Up Journalists And Legal Observers — And Their Phones
Police seized the cell phones and cameras of journalists and legal observers arrested during Inauguration Day demonstrations. Prosecutors have dropped the criminal charges against many of them, but concerns persist about the seizure and possible search of their electronic devices.
BUZZFEED

United Airlines Under Fire After Passenger Dragged From Plane; Officer Put On Leave
United Airlines sparked outrage on Monday for the treatment of a passenger who was physically dragged off a plane the airline had overbooked. Videos posted online showed a man screaming as officers yanked him from his seat before departure. One of the officers involved in the incident was placed on leave pending an investigation.
REUTERS

Journalist Who Exposed Donald Trump Charitable Claims and Revealed ‘Grab ’em By The Pussy’ Tape Wins Pulitzer
The Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold has won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting, which included the revelation that Donald Trump had made false claims about his charitable fundraising as well as breaking the news of the tape in which the tycoon bragged about groping women.
THE INDEPENDENT

Wounded by ‘Fearless Girl,’ Creator of ‘Charging Bull’ Wants Her to Move
The sculptor who created the “Charging Bull” sculpture on Wall Street nearly 30 years ago has stated that “Fearless Girl” was an insult to his work, which he created after the stock market crashes in the late 1980s. Since March 7, “Charging Bull” has faced off against “Fearless Girl,” a statue of a girl posed with her fists on her hips that was commissioned by State Street Global Advisors.
THE NEW YORK TIMES

 
Global

Silencing journalists in Mexico
Drug cartels, corrupt officials and a climate of impunity make Mexico the most dangerous place for journalists in the Western hemisphere. Intimidation, killings and censorship are just some of the tactics used to muzzle journalists in Mexico.
AL JAZEERA

Graffiti booms in Streets of Ho Chi Minh City as Artists Push Back Against Official Censorship
For many in Vietnam, the spray can is a tool of rebellion—illicit spray-painting is a way of defying restrictions in an authoritarian country where artists must have their work approved before exhibitions, shows are routinely shut down, and works deemed controversial are replaced by a black ‘X’ on gallery walls.
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

‘Art is my weapon’: meet the Turkish artist taking on Erdoğan
Ekin Onat’s project for the Venice Biennale sensationally exposes police brutality and political revolt in Turkey. As the country prepares for a historic referendum, Onat explains why she faces exile.
THE GUARDIAN

When Do Democracies Die?
There’s a question gripping political scientists that we’re exploring ourselves: How and why do democracies die? The real change in democracy has come just in the past year, with the rise of populist movements in the part of the world considered the most solidly democratic: the West.
THE NEW YORK TIMES

 
Deeper Analysis

Where do your NEA dollars really go? What we learned on an Indiana road trip.
In Indiana, artists and nonprofit leaders in small towns or underserved communities fear that lawmakers don’t understand how much they depend on the millions of arts dollars distributed each year outside booming metropolises. NEA dollars give children access to the arts at a time when schools are cutting back. They provide performances for people who don’t live in cultural centers.
WASHINGTON POST

 

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