A federal lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for Rhode Island late last month accuses Governor Daniel McKee and other top state officials of unconstitutionally suppressing free speech by preventing activists from holding a protest in the State House Rotunda. The complaint, brought by activists Harrison Tuttle and Eric Hirsch, along with the Rhode Island Homeless Advocacy Project (RIHAP), alleges that the governor’s administration engaged in a “transparent attempt to restrict speech that might appear to be critical of his administration.”
The lawsuit stems from a planned event on January 14, 2025, dubbed the “People’s State of the State.” Activists intended to gather in the State House Rotunda an hour before Governor McKee’s official State of the State address to highlight what they describe as “inaction and deficiencies by the McKee administration to address the housing crisis and homelessness in Rhode Island.”
According to the legal complaint, upon arriving at the State House, the protestors were met with an unexpected barrier. The Rotunda, a historically recognized public forum for expressive activities, had been cordoned off with signs and barriers. The filing alleges that the Governor’s office, having become aware of the planned protest, directed Capitol and State Police to “reserve” the Rotunda from 4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. A calendar entry obtained through a public records request reportedly shows the space was formally reserved at 4:39 p.m. that same day…