All articles tagged with #free speech
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth launches an appeal to overturn a court ruling that blocked punishing Sen. Mark Kelly for advising troops not to follow illegal orders, heightening a public clash over retired military free speech and fueling ongoing political contention.
A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. unanimously rejected Jeanine Pirro's bid to indict six Democratic lawmakers over a social-video urging service members to disobey unlawful orders, effectively halting the case in that district; the development fuels debate over DOJ independence and political interference, with the possibility of pursuing charges in another district still open.
French President Emmanuel Macron denounced tech giants' claims to defend free speech, insisting platforms must be transparent about how their algorithms work and acknowledging inherent biases; he made the remarks during a New Delhi event on India-France university partnerships, framing the debate within broader EU tech rules and his push to curb youth access to social media.
The Times memorializes Frederick Wiseman, highlighting his direct cinema approach and the controversial Titicut Follies, whose ban and decades-long legal battles helped shape free-speech jurisprudence; Wiseman showed that people are defined by the institutions surrounding them, a thread he pursued across more than 40 documentaries before his death at 96.
More than 80 current and former Berlinale participants, including Javier Bardem, Tilda Swinton and Adam McKay, signed an open letter condemning the festival’s alleged silence on Gaza and censorship of artists, urging Berlinale to publicly oppose Israel’s actions and defend free speech amid rising international boycotts and debates about the politics of cinema.
More than 80 current and former participants, including Javier Bardem, Tilda Swinton and Adam McKay, signed an open letter condemning Berlinale for its silence on Gaza and urging the festival to oppose Israel's actions, arguing that art and politics are inseparable; the move follows Wim Wenders' remark that filmmakers should stay out of politics and Berlinale's defense of artists' right to speak.
Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle defended the festival’s jury’s right to discuss politics after they declined to condemn Israel’s Gaza actions as genocide, following Wim Wenders’ call for filmmakers to stay out of politics. The opening controversy drew backlash, including Arundhati Roy withdrawing a film; Tuttle emphasized that free speech exists at Berlinale and that artists shouldn’t be forced to boil complex issues down to sound bites.
The Berlinale issued a lengthy statement from festival head Tricia Tuttle in response to a media backlash over political questions, reaffirming that artists should not be expected to comment on every political issue and emphasizing the festival’s dedication to free expression and cinema.
Politics dominate this year’s Berlinale, with press conferences producing viral clips about funding, Gaza, and other geopolitics, prompting festival leaders to defend free speech and caution against turning film Q&As into rapid-fire political moments; activists and filmmakers, including those from Iran, underscore cinema’s role in political discourse while critics warn the online backlash could chill open expression.
Vice President JD Vance drew online criticism after telling American Olympians to focus on competing and not discuss politics, arguing athletes should represent the country without engaging political debates. His remarks prompted a social media backlash, with supporters arguing athletes have long used their platforms to address issues and detractors claiming such comments stifle free expression. The piece notes responses from athletes like Hunter Hess and experts who say backlash against political speech in sports is common, but activism in sport has a long history.
A Lawfare column critiques Judge Richard Leon’s heavily punctuated, exclamation-mark–heavy opinion in Kelly v. Hegseth, arguing the stylistic flourishes are arresting but risk distracting from the underlying legal questions around ripeness, military justice, and the role of a judge’s expressive style in judicial writing.
Florida Senator and Trump ally Rick Scott urged that any U.S. athlete who doesn’t want to represent the United States should be stripped of their Olympic uniform, a stance that sparked backlash as Olympians voiced concern over free expression under the current administration. Critics argued patriotism can coexist with personal views, while supporters pressed athletes on national duty, turning the episode into a pointed reminder of the politics of protest at the Olympics.
An immigration judge in Boston terminated DHS’s bid to deport Tufts PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk, ruling DHS failed to prove she was removable after her arrest tied to a pro-Palestinian op-ed; the case—centered on visa revocation over the op-ed criticizing Tufts’ Gaza response—could be appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals, ending the proceedings for now.
Chloe Kim and three Team USA snowboarders defended athletes’ right to voice opinions while expressing pride in representing the United States, as they respond to President Trump’s criticism of Hunter Hess during the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, urging unity and compassion even amid political divisions and noting Hess’s upcoming Olympic debut.
The Trump administration’s push to identify and prosecute leakers and to target journalists’ sources—spanning DOJ subpoenas, DHS disclosures, and high-profile searches—has been denounced by press groups as a chilling effort that undermines investigative reporting and government accountability.