Multiple “No Kings” protests are coming back to Asheville and Western North Carolina on Saturday, March 28, and there are things to keep in mind while protesting.
Thousands gathered for the “No Kings” protests held in the Asheville area over the last year. Now, another round of protests is coming to North Carolina ― and the entire country ― in the form of another “No Kings” protest against the Iran war.
Here’s what North Carolinians should know about their rights during protests.
Where are ‘No Kings’ protest in Asheville, Western North Carolina on Saturday, March 28?
There are multiple ‘No Kings’ protests happening in the western part of the state. Here’s where:
- Asheville: 1-3 p.m. at Pack Square Park, 80 Court Plaza
- Spindale 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 119 Tanner Street
- Columbus 11:30 a.m., 125 East Mills Street
- Black Mountain 12-1:30 p.m., 100 East State Street
- Marion 12-2 p.m., 21 South Main Street
- Waynesville 1-3 p.m., 285 North Main Street
- Brevard 2-3:30 p.m., 7 East Main Street
- Hendersonville 1:45-3:30 p.m., 200 North Grove Street
There are more than 50 different protests throughout North Carolina on March 28. To find one near you, visit the No Kings protest map at nokings.org.
What are the rights of protesters in North Carolina?
Protesters are granted certain freedoms under the First Amendment, including the right to:
- Protest
- Demonstrate, such as taking part in a rally or march
- Donate to groups and political candidates
- Get together with other people to talk about issues
However, these rights have some conditions. Some general guidelines for North Carolina protesters with help from the ACLU of N.C., include:
- Police and government officials can place certain nondiscriminatory “time, place and manner” restrictions on the exercise of First Amendment rights. Any such restrictions must apply to all speech regardless of its point of view.
- All types of free speech expression are generally constitutionally protected in “public forum” areas such as streets, sidewalks and parks. Speech activities may also be permitted to take place at other public locations that the government has opened up, such as plazas in front of government buildings.
- Certain types of events require permits, including marches or parades that do not stay on the sidewalk and other events requiring blocking traffic or street closures, large rallies requiring the use of sound amplifying devices and more. A permit cannot be denied because the event is controversial or will express unpopular views.
- Without a permit, marches are still constitutionally protected as long as marchers stay on sidewalks and obey traffic and pedestrian signals. Marchers may be required to allow enough space on the sidewalk for normal pedestrian traffic.
- Distributing leaflets and literature on public sidewalks is lawful without a permit, though entrances to buildings must not be blocked and passers-by may not be blocked or maliciously detained. A permit may be required to set up a table for the purpose.
- Picketing on public sidewalks is lawful without a permit, but must be done in an orderly fashion so that pedestrians can pass and entrances to buildings are not blocked.
- Some local governments may require a fee as a condition of exercising free speech rights, such as application fees, security deposits for clean-up or charges to cover overtime police costs. However, courts will not permit raising costs due to factors such as an event that is expected to draw a hostile crowd. Also, regulations should include waivers for groups that cannot afford the charge.
- Counter-demonstrators also have free speech rights, though they are not allowed to physically disrupt the event they are protesting. Police are allowed to keep antagonistic groups separated, but should allow them to be within the general vicinity of one another.
- As of July 2024, House Bill 237 made protest organizers liable for any injury that happens during a protest if they intentionally block a road or emergency vehicle.
Is it illegal to wear a mask at a protest in North Carolina?
In 2024, N.C. passed the “Unmasking Mobs and Criminals” bill, which made some changes to the rules N.C. protesters must obey…