A threat of arrest was used to pressure a Facebook user to remove a post, but the user refused censorship. Video footage from the arrest shows the user denying that he made any threat and jail officers appearing unsure about the charge. An officer told him the charge involved threatening mass violence at a school, and the user questioned it while the officer laughed and said he did not know. The arresting action continued even after an admission that the post was a pre-existing meme referencing a real shooting in another state. The arrest was described as retaliation for protected speech and a violation of constitutional rights. A settlement followed, and the case was framed as evidence that free speech protections can withstand government-backed pressure targeting online statements.
"“It's in times of turmoil and heightened tensions that our national commitment to free speech is tested the most,” Davis said. “When government officials fail that test, the Constitution exists to hold them accountable. Our hope is that Larry's settlement sends a message to law enforcement across the country: Respect the First Amendment today, or be prepared to pay the price tomorrow.”"
#first-amendment #retaliation-for-protected-speech #facebook-meme #arrest-and-charges #free-speech-and-law-enforcement
Read at Ars Technica
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