First Amendment
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution outlines five fundamental rights that individuals have with regard to the government: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom to petition the government, and freedom of religion.
Learn about the First Amendment's five fundamental rights, and scroll down to explore our work protecting First Amendment rights in Rhode Island through litigation, advocacy, and education.
The Latest
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Protests & Demonstrations
Know your rights when it comes to protests, marches and demonstrations.
Brown University and URI File Brief Challenging President Trump’s Unconstitutional Attacks on Harvard
New brief echoes the brief filed the ACLU and other First Amendment organizations earlier in the summer, which focused on how the ideological termination of funding violates the First Amendment’s protection of academic freedom.
RI Midterm Primary Candidate Questions: Civil Liberties Edition
We sent a survey of civil liberties questions to all the candidates running for statewide office (except for Treasurer) that will be on the ballot in the 2026 Rhode Island midterm elections, as well as the Providence mayoral candidates.
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