Democracy and First Amendment Rights

Democracy cannot defend itself. It depends on us, the people, to show up, organize together, and speak truth to power. This is how we create a country that fulfills its promise to be a democracy that is of, by, and for all the people.

A person holds a large handwritten sign reading “Protect our First Amendment Freedom of Speech” during a protest outside the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, where Jimmy Kimmel Live! is filmed. Behind them, another protester in a skeleton costume holds a cardboard sign depicting a crossed-out image of Jimmy Kimmel. The demonstration is in response to ABC’s decision to pull Kimmel off the air following his remarks about Charlie Kirk.

The United States and Oregon constitutions set out basic freedoms and rights that allow us to speak truth to power without repression or retaliation by the government. These include the First Amendment right to speak, peaceably assemble, and petition the government, as well as the Fifth Amendment right to be provided with due process of law before the government deprives us of life, liberty, or property.

Since our beginning, the ACLU has fought to defend and advance these basic freedoms and rights so that everyday people have the civic tools to engage in democracy. The ACLU of Oregon’s recent work in this area includes:

  • Dickinson (A.K.A. The “Portland Chicken”) v. Trump — This is a legal case that we brought in 2025 to defend the free speech rights of everyday people by holding federal law enforcement accountable for retaliating against peaceful protesters outside the Portland ICE facility with physical violence, tear gas, and other crowd control weapons.
  • HB 4138: The Law Enforcement Accountability and Visibility Act — HB 4138 is a law enforcement transparency bill that we helped pass in 2026 that requires all local, state, and federal law enforcement operating in Oregon to visibly show their name, badge number, and agency, while restricting the use of masks.
  • Protect Oregon — Consisting of organizations, community leaders, and everyday people committed to defending and advancing democracy in our state, Protect Oregon is a statewide pro-democracy table that we created and lead with statewide partners. An important accomplishment of Protect Oregon was to unite Oregonians against President Trump’s attempts to deploy the National Guard to Portland in fall 2025.

Dissent is patriotic.

The Latest

Know Your Rights
protest

First Amendment Protections

Resource
A line of police in riot gear

Portland Police Public Records Project

Highlights and potential violations of Oregon's privacy laws that emerged from the public records we obtained from the Portland Police
Know Your Rights
black and white military troops

Encountering Law Enforcement and Military Troops in Oregon

News & Commentary
Mason with his press vest and video camera

Mason Lake — Behind the Vest

Mason Lake, a client and class representative in this case, is a born and raised Portlander and a lover of history. With a career in photography that dates back to his high school years, Mason now feels compelled as a freelance photographer to contribute to the accurate depiction of history as it is happening through “boots on the ground” journalism and presence at the protests outside the ICE building.
Legislation
Feb 3, 2026

HB 4138: Law Enforcement Accountability and Visibility Act

Status: Passed both chambers
Position: Support
Legislation
Feb 25, 2025

SB 1098: Freedom to Read

Students deserve to feel affirmed and welcome in Oregon public schools — and they should be free to read, learn and share ideas without fear of discriminatory censorship! SB 1098 would prevent book bans and other forms of censorship in Oregon public schools.
Status: Passed both chambers
Position: Support
Legislation
Feb 13, 2024

SB 1583A: Freedom to Read

Students deserve to feel affirmed and welcome in Oregon public schools — and they should be free to read, learn and share ideas without fear of discriminatory censorship! SB 1583 would prevent book bans and other forms of censorship in Oregon public schools.
Status: Passed Senate
Position: Support