NPR's Morning Edition talks to PCJF's Mara Verheyden-Hilliard about the clearing of peaceful protesters from Lafayette Park, and how the police violated previous agreements imposed upon them after their previous misconduct at Pershing Park in 2002. Read more

Standing Rock Civil Rights Class Action Moves Forward After Four Years. “We are litigating this case not only on behalf of the water protectors whose rights were so viciously violated at Standing Rock, but for the constitutional rights of all people fighting for climate and racial justice as our planet is in flames and paramilitary forces attack peaceful protestors across the land.” — Mara Verheyden-Hilliard.

Washington Post editorial "A victory for free speech on the Mall" calls the total withdrawal of proposed anti-protest regulations: "a full retreat by the Trump administration and, more important, a victory for the First Amendment." "Their plan to suppress protest,” said Mara Verheyden-Hilliard of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, “was met with the very force it was trying to suppress."

In an extraordinary victory for the people, the Trump Administration has announced that it is fully withdrawing its massive anti-democratic plan to block free speech and assembly through proposed regulations that would have crushed protest on federal land in the nation's capital.

PCJF filed a challenge to Trump's Dept. of Interior plan to obstruct access to public information; calls proposed FOIA rules an "Obstructive Shell Game" and a "Political Gatekeeping Maneuver."

"Our client's visit to the Bible Museum turned into a Kafkaesque ordeal of humiliation, detention, interrogation and ultimately an FBI counter-terrorism investigation caused by the Museum's racist actions and false reporting," stated PCJF Executive Director Mara Verheyden-Hilliard.

Janine Jackson interviewed Mara Verheyden-Hilliard about Trump’s proposed new anti-protest rules for FAIR's CounterSpin. Read more

For the first time, the U.S. government wants demonstrators to pay to use our parks, sidewalks and streets to engage in free speech in the nation’s capital. This is a bold effort by the Trump administration to burden and restrict access to public spaces for First Amendment activities in Washington. If enacted, it would fundamentally alter participatory democracy in America. Read more

The PCJF is suing to obtain government disclosure of documents regarding the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and its officers’ relationships with Project Veritas, Oath Keepers and other right-wing groups who acted as proxy with the MPD to infiltrate and surveil protest groups. Read more

On the night of November 20, 2016 law enforcement unleashed specialty impact munitions, explosive grenades, chemical agents, and water cannons in freezing temperatures injuring and maiming water protectors engaged in peaceful First Amendment-protected protest activities and prayer circles. We are proud to be part of the civil team litigating this case.