Blanket Ban on Indoor Protest at U of Florida Amounts to “Prior Restraint on Dissent”
"Of course, we hope that protesters will not shut down, shout down, or obstruct speech, but argument and protest have their place on campuses, even when they grow heated.… More
PEN International and Artists at Risk Connection Condemn Detention of Artists and Writers in Cuba After Peaceful Protests
“There is no possible justification for the Cuban government to arbitrarily detain citizens including writers and artists for taking to the streets to peacefully demand their rights. The global… More
PEN America “Appalled” by Conviction of Writer Tsitsi Dangarembga Linked to Peaceful Protest in Zimbabwe
“Tsitsi Dangarembga was arrested for exercising her right to peaceful protest. Her arrest and the long drawn out trial against her is clearly intended to send a frightening message… More
PEN America Condemns Arbitrary Detention of Prominent Cuban Artist/Art Historian Carolina Barrero
(New York, NY) - PEN America and PEN International are deeply alarmed by the detention of the Cuban artist, activist and art historian Carolina Barrero, who was arrested on… More
Advancement of Ohio Bill Ominous Sign for Protest Rights
(New York, NY) — A proposed state law in Ohio threatens to unduly restrict protest rights and undermine First Amendment freedoms, PEN America warned today. The legislation—HB 109—was voted… More
New York County Passes Law Allowing Police to Sue Protesters
The Nassau County legislature in Long Island, New York this week passed a bill that would allow police officers to sue individuals who they believe harassed, menaced, assaulted or… More
Cracking Down on Creative Voices: Turkey’s Silencing of Writers, Intellectuals, and Artists Five Years After the Failed Coup
PEN America outlines the legal mechanisms that the Turkish government has used to silence writers, activists, artists, academics, and creative professionals. More
Closing Ranks: State Legislators Deepen Assaults on the Right to Protest
State policymakers have introduced at least 100 proposals since June 2020 to reduce the scope of Americans’ right to protest, PEN America research finds. More
Arresting Dissent: Legislative Restrictions on the Right to Protest
Arresting Dissent: Legislative Restrictions on the Right to Protest shines a spotlight on the proliferation of state-level legislative proposals seeking to limit protest rights. More
Thank you for taking action to defend the First Amendment rights of protesters at the DNC and RNC this summer.
Donate to PEN America today to defend our First Amendment rights including our right to peacefully protest and assemble. More
Alert Us
Are you an artist at risk or know someone who is?