Taking Liberties: Free speech rights disappearing?

Harold Hodge believes in the power of protest.

Its important, he said as he walked on First Street in front of the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. "I believe people should have the right to protest and picket against the government.

But, he says, its a right that is disappearing.

They, he said, as he pointed up at the white columns, are taking it away from us.

In January 2011, Hodge was standing on the public plaza above the steps of the court wearing a sign around his neck. It read The U.S. Gov. allows police to illegally murder and brutalize African-Americans and Hispanic people."

Video of him shows he was still and quiet and more than 100 feet from the Court entrance. Nonetheless, officers arrested him, charging him with violating a so-called no speech zone.

These things are popping up all over the country, said John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute, which is defending Hodge in court, where people can only speak when they are pushed away to the side.

Im astounded, he said. Especially when you see the footage of Harold Hodge standing silently with no one else around. He wasnt blocking anybodys egress. He wasnt talking to anybody. If you cant do this in front of the Supreme Court, theres no such thing as free speech.

Whitehead says officials have been increasingly implementing no speech zones around government buildings and important government events, like political conventions.

This is a dangerous trend that's been going on for a number of years, he said. Putting people so far away from government officials that government officials can't hear the speech. Well that means the First Amendment means nothing, They are destroying the First Amendment.

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Taking Liberties: Free speech rights disappearing?