Protesters face growing government surveillance. ICNL’s briefer Protesting in an Age of Government Surveillance examines how new types of technology used by the government to surveil protests can lead to abuse and deter demonstrators from exercising their First Amendment rights. It then outlines how both courts and lawmakers can respond to this threat.

After the recent wave of judgments from the Supreme Court on abortion, gun control, and environmental regulation, many Americans are looking for alternatives to the courts for ways to enact democratic change. Yet, in the past several years, states across the country have enacted laws restricting demonstrations, boycotts, and other modes of activism, which are increasingly reducing the space for civic mobilization. Check out this op-ed in the LA Times by ICNL’s Nick Robinson to learn more about this problem.

Since January 2020, the U.S. has witnessed over 600 armed protests. The presence of firearms is intimidating and chills people’s ability to exercise their constitutional right to peaceful assembly. It also creates real dangers for demonstrators. A 2021 study found that protests with firearms were six times more likely to result in violence. Reasonable and constitutionally sound options are available to deal with this issue. These options are explored in our lastest briefer, Keeping Guns Away from Protests.

The Foreign Agents Registration Act has become a central policy tool to respond to foreign interference in U.S. politics. However, stepping up enforcement of FARA before reforming the act is a recipe for disaster. FARA is overbroad and has been used to target U.S. activists and nonprofits. Find out more by reading our article in Just Security entitled Fixing the FARA Mess.