Protests, the Press, and First Amendment Rights Before and after the ‘Floyd Caselaw’

Abstract

As protests following the death of George Floyd engulfed the country in the summer of 2020, Americans watched in shock as members of the press were beaten, fired upon, and arrested while covering mass demonstrations. Even as charges against these reporters have largely been dropped, several members of the media have fired back, filing lawsuits asserting their civil rights. The cases that emerged from these protests — what one federal judge termed the “Floyd Caselaw” — all present “a similar tale” about the state of First Amendment rights in America and may signal a broader acceptance of judicially-recognized press rights.

Keywords: Journalists, Press Rights, First Amendment, George Floyd, Protests