The order affirms the City’s commitment to safeguarding every Chicagoan’s constitutional right to free speech and peaceful assembly.
Mayor Brandon Johnson signed the ‘Right to Protest’ executive order, which seeks to protect the free speech rights of every Chicagoan. The order, which builds upon Mayor Johnson’s sweeping Protecting Chicago Initiative, ensures that even in the face of interference from the federal government the Chicago Police Department (CPD) will protect Chicagoans’ First Amendment rights while taking appropriate measures to preserve public safety.
“Chicago has long been a center of civic action, from the labor uprisings of the Haymarket era to the Civil Rights movement, and today is no different,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “The City of Chicago has proven time and time again that we can safeguard demonstrations of any size while protecting First Amendment rights. With this Executive Order, we affirm that Chicago will remain a place where democracy and freedom reign. Today, we proclaim that all residents and visitors can peacefully assemble, petition their government, and speak freely in our city. This executive action is about being proactive so that we are prepared for any possible large-scale demonstration in response to the increasingly reckless federal government.”…