Since 2017, ICNL has tracked hundreds of state and federal bills that restrict the right to protest. ICNL provides analysis and research on this legislation.

Peaceful protesters have faced indiscriminate and excessive force at the hands of law enforcement. ICNL resources to address this threat include recommendations for reforms to limit the use of tear gas and other so-called less lethal weapons and to ensure accountability for law enforcement violence against protesters.

Authorities have long used anti-riot laws to arrest and punish peaceful protesters. ICNL resources explain the threat posed by such vague and overbroad laws and include recommendations for reform.

Protesters who engage in nonviolent unlawful conduct, such as blocking traffic, face emerging threats including substantial new penalties and expansive liability. ICNL resources explore how the law should address civil disobedience without chilling protected peaceful protest activity.

The US has witnessed a growing number of armed protests. The presence of guns discourages people from exercising their rights to assembly and speech, interferes with democratic processes, and poses a threat to public safety. ICNL is working to advance reasonable and constitutionally-sound reforms to keep guns away from protests.

Protesters face an array of new types of surveillance, including the use of facial recognition technology and geolocation data. Invasive surveillance that identifies and tracks protesters can deter demonstrators from attending protests and places them at risk. ICNL works to create legal safeguards to prevent the abusive use of surveillance against demonstrators.