Two attorneys sued the St. Louis police for violating their rights to free speech and assembly after they were teargassed at a demonstration while wearing green hats identifying them as legal observers. The 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals reversed a lower court decision in favor of the attorneys contending that the message on their hats “National Lawyers Guild Legal Observer” did not convey a clear message and so was not entitled to First Amendment protection. The attorneys are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to grant review arguing that if the 8th Circuit ruling holds, “the government has license to stifle or retaliate against speech simply because a written message appears printed on clothing and its substantive meaning is arguably unclear.” (SCOTUSblog, December 26, 2023, by Kalvis Golde)
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