Tag:

First Amendment

Arlington, VA
News
Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban: How The App Could Survive In The U.S. Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban: How The App Could Survive In The U.S.
Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban: How The App Could Survive In The U.S. The Supreme Court has upheld a new law that could ban TikTok in the U.S. unless its Chinese parent company divests from the very popular video-sharing social media app. The justices said the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" doesn't violate the First Amendment, according to the court's decision on Friday, Jan. 17. The ruling allows for TikTok to potentially be banned in the U.S. as early as Sunday, Jan. 19. TikTok, which has more than 170 million users in the U.S., has come under scrutiny over fears that ByteDance could allow the Chinese gov…

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by Chris Spiker
Hackensack, NJ
News
TikTok Ban: Fate Of Video App Unclear As Deadline For Chinese Parent Company To Divest Looms TikTok Ban: Fate Of Video App Unclear As Deadline For Chinese Parent Company To Divest Looms
TikTok Ban: Fate Of Video App Unclear As Deadline For Chinese Parent Company To Divest Looms The future of TikTok in the United States is facing a critical juncture as the Supreme Court deliberates on whether to delay a looming ban on the popular video-sharing app. On Friday morning, Jan. 10, the Court heard oral arguments regarding the Biden administration's law requiring TikTok's parent company, ByteDance to separate from TikTok, and whether or not it's in violation of the First Amendment. ByteDance, which is headquartered in China, has until Jan. 19 to separate from the video-sharing app under the law passed last year over national security concerns. Noel Francisco argued on be…

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by Cecilia Levine
Smithtown, NY
Schools
Smithtown School Staffer Fired Over 'Troubling' Social Media Posts Smithtown School Staffer Fired Over 'Troubling' Social Media Posts
Smithtown School Staffer Fired Over 'Troubling' Social Media Posts A recently hired staffer at a Long Island high school is out of a job after troubling social media posts surfaced. Administrators at Smithtown High School East contacted the Suffolk County Police Department on Wednesday, Dec. 18, after discovering what the district described as a series of “troubling” posts the employee shared online. Officers with the Fourth Precinct Crime Section reviewed the content and determined they were not criminal and posed no credible threat, a Suffolk County Police spokesperson told Daily Voice. The employee, who school officials said had recently been hired, wa…

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by Michael Mashburn
Arlington, VA
News
Protester Who Sparked Outrage, Burned American Flag During DC Demonstration Charged: Feds Protester Who Sparked Outrage, Burned American Flag During DC Demonstration Charged: Feds
Protester Who Sparked Outrage, Burned American Flag During DC Demonstration Charged: Feds A demonstration at Union Station in DC turned fiery when a protester set an American flag ablaze, leading to federal charges, authorities announced. Michael Snow Jr., 24, of Durham, North Carolina, is accused of torching the flag during a July 24 protest in Columbus Circle that spiraled into chaos. Court documents allege Snow destroyed the flag as a crowd surrounded him, chanting “Burn that sh--!” moments after the flag was torn down by others.  The protest reportedly involved pulling down flags, burning objects, spraying graffiti on statues and structures, and obstructing law enforce…

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by Zak Failla
Ridley Park-Folsom, PA
Politics
Elon Musk In Folsom Speaking At Pro-Trump Town Hall Elon Musk In Folsom Speaking At Pro-Trump Town Hall
Elon Musk In Folsom Speaking At Pro-Trump Town Hall Elon Musk is coming to Delaware County, PA to speak at a pro-Trump town hall meeting on Thursday, Oct. 17. "Tomorrow night through Monday, I will be giving a series of talks throughout Pennsylvania," Musk said in a Wednesday, Oct. 16 post on X, formerly Twitter. One of those talks is taking place in Folsom, Delaware County, according to America PAC's webpage on the scheduled town hall meetings.  Tomorrow night through Monday, I will be giving a series of talks throughout Pennsylvania.If you’d like to attend one of my talks, there’s no attendance fee. You just need to have signed ou…

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by Merriell Moyer
Vernon-Rockville, CT
News
More Than 20 Protestors Arrested At UConn More Than 20 Protestors Arrested At UConn
More Than 20 Protestors Arrested At UConn More than 20 pro-Palestinian protesters have been arrested at the University of Connecticut after being told to leave by university officials. CBS affiliate WFSB Eyewitness News 3 reported that 23 protestors were arrested on Tuesday, April 30 as UConn Police moved in to take down the encampment. They were charged with charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespass.  According to Stephanie Reitz, spokeswoman for the university, on Friday, April 26, UConn shared guidelines with protest organizers and the university community for larger outdoor gatherings, including prohi…

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by Kathy Reakes
Bethlehem, PA
Schools
Satanic Temple To Receive $200K From Pennsylvania School District: ACLU Satanic Temple To Receive $200K From Pennsylvania School District: ACLU
Satanic Temple To Receive $200K From Pennsylvania School District: ACLU (Note: This story has been updated to include a statement from the school district.) The Saucon Valley School District has agreed to pay $200,000 in attorney's fees to The Satanic Temple, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.  The Salem, Massachusetts-based Temple had filed suit against SVSD early this year after administrators blocked the group from sponsoring an "After School Satan Club" at Saucon Valley Middle School.  Under the settlement inked this week, the district will give the club "the same access to school facilities that other comparable organizations receive," said…

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by Mac Bullock
Reading, PA
Schools
ACLU Files Suit Against PA School District Over Mascot Club ACLU Files Suit Against PA School District Over Mascot Club
ACLU Files Suit Against PA School District Over Mascot Club The American Civil Liberties Union is suing Twin Valley School District in Berks County over an alleged violation of a student's First Amendment rights, the organization says.  ACLU said it filed suit on behalf of high school student Sloane Wolfe, who "has been advocating to end her school district’s use of its 'Raider,' mascot based on its stereotypical depiction of North American indigenous people." The civil suit claims TVSD has "refused" to allow Wolfe and others to form an officially recognized student club called "Retire the Raider."  Recognition from administrators, ACLU n…

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by Mac Bullock
Arlington, VA
News
Protest Turns Violent Outside DNC Headquarters In DC (DEVELOPING) Protest Turns Violent Outside DNC Headquarters In DC (DEVELOPING)
Protest Turns Violent Outside DNC Headquarters In DC (Developing) Police squared off against a group of protesters who flooded the streets outside the Democratic National Committee headquarters on Wednesday night, authorities confirmed. Metropolitan and US Capitol Police were called in to help restore order when approximately 150 people began demonstrating in the area of Canal Street and Ivy Street SE.  Right now our officers are working to keep back approximately 150 people who are illegally and violently protesting in the area of Canal Street and Ivy Street, SE. Officers are making arrests. All Members have been evacuated from the area. Please stay …

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by Zak Failla
Port Chester, NY
News
Ousted School Board President Sues Port Chester, Rye District, Claims 'Bogus' Investigation Ousted School Board President Sues Port Chester, Rye District, Claims 'Bogus' Investigation
Ousted School Board President Sues Port Chester, Rye District, Claims 'Bogus' Investigation A former school board president who was removed from office for allegedly making racist social media comments is now suing the Westchester district where he once served.  Thomas Corbia, who was removed from the Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District Board of Education in April 2021 for his alleged racist Facebook posts, is now suing the district and claiming that his ousting was the result of a "bogus investigation" that was a "pretext to settle personal vendetta," according to the lawsuit. Earlier Report - School Board President In Westchester Fired Over Facebook Post…

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by Ben Crnic
Bethlehem, PA
Schools
After School Satan Club Can Meet In Saucon Valley, Federal Judge Rules After School Satan Club Can Meet In Saucon Valley, Federal Judge Rules
After School Satan Club Can Meet In Saucon Valley, Federal Judge Rules Saucon Valley School District in Northampton County must allow the "After School Satan Club" to meet on campus, a federal judge decided in a ruling dated Monday, May 1.  The controversial club will be allowed to meet on school grounds, though district officials will not be required to distribute their permission slips, US District Court Judge John M. Gallagher ruled in a preliminary injunction.  The After School Satan Club, sponsored by the Salem, Massachusetts-based Satanic Temple (TST), garnered controversy in February when its flyers made the rounds on local social media.  The flyer…

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by Mac Bullock
Towson, MD
News
Baltimore Officials Comment On Tyre Nichols' Death, Peaceful Protest Protection Baltimore Officials Comment On Tyre Nichols' Death, Peaceful Protest Protection
Baltimore Officials Comment On Tyre Nichols' Death, Peaceful Protest Protection Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison issued a moving statement to the public following the release of new details surrounding the recent police-involved death of Tyre Nichols. The video message was released after the body-worn camera footage of Nichols was made public on Friday, Jan. 27. Harrison addressed Baltimore residents, calling the incident "horrific". "I, along with the leaders in this department, are in full support of Memphis Police Department Chief CJ Davis' decision to condemn the actions of these officers and terminate them", stated Harrison. "They are not an accurate…

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by Annie DeVoe
Alexandria, VA
News
Non-Kneeling Ex-Virginia Tech Soccer Player Settles With School After Benching Non-Kneeling Ex-Virginia Tech Soccer Player Settles With School After Benching
Non-Kneeling Ex-Virginia Tech Soccer Player Settles With School After Benching Former Virginia Tech women’s soccer star Kiersten Hening has reportedly reached a six-figure settlement with her former coach Charles "Chugger" Adair over a dispute about kneeling before games that ultimately led to her benching. Hening was rewarded at least $100,000 as part of an agreement to dismiss a federal lawsuit that was previously filed regarding the former defensive midfielder’s First Amendment rights. According to reports, the terms of the settlement do not involve Adair admitting any wrongdoing, though few other details were initially released pending the finality of the agreem…

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by Zak Failla
Alexandria, VA
News
Non-Kneeling Ex-Virginia Tech Soccer Player Moving Forward With Lawsuit Against Former Coach Non-Kneeling Ex-Virginia Tech Soccer Player Moving Forward With Lawsuit Against Former Coach
Non-Kneeling Ex-Virginia Tech Soccer Player Moving Forward With Lawsuit Against Former Coach Former Virginia Tech women's soccer star Kiersten Hening is moving forward with a lawsuit against her former coach Charles "Chugger" Adair over a dispute about kneeling before games that she alleges led to her benching after a promising start to her collegiate career. A judge ruled that Hening, a defensive midfielder for the Hokies from 2018 until 2020, can move forward with her trial on First Amendment grounds after she was allegedly pressured to leave the team for declining to kneel during a social justice demonstration. Hening alleges that after she refused to kneel in support of social…

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by Zak Failla
Clifton Park, NY
News
Gag Order: Upstate NY City Barred From Speaking About Shooting Involving VT Deputy, Report Says Gag Order: Upstate NY City Barred From Speaking About Shooting Involving VT Deputy, Report Says
Gag Order: Upstate NY City Barred From Speaking About Shooting Involving VT Deputy, Report Says City officials in upstate New York have been barred from making further public comments about the officer-involved shooting of a Vermont sheriff’s deputy, WNYT reports.  On Wednesday, Nov. 23, the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office got a temporary restraining order from a Supreme Court judge prohibiting Saratoga Springs officials from talking about or releasing video or audio from the incident, the outlet said. Earlier Report: Off-Duty Deputy From Vermont Shot By Police In Capital Region (Video) The shooting, which was captured on officer-worn body camera footage that was released…

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by Michael Mashburn
Newtown, CT
News
Alex Jones Ordered By Jury To Pay Nearly $1B To Sandy Hook Families For Mass Shooting Lies Alex Jones Ordered By Jury To Pay Nearly $1B To Sandy Hook Families For Mass Shooting Lies
Alex Jones Ordered By Jury To Pay Nearly $1B To Sandy Hook Families For Mass Shooting Lies Far-right radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has been ordered by a Connecticut jury to pay nearly $1 billion to the families of students killed in the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown. In a unanimous decision Wednesday, Oct. 12, the jury said the Infowars founder must dole out $965 million in damages to eight families of students killed, as well as an FBI agent, for repeatedly claiming that the school massacre in December 2012, which killed 20 students and six staff members, was a hoax carried out by “crisis actors.” Earlier Report: Alex Jones Order…

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by Michael Mashburn
Dorchester, MA
News
Anti-Semitic Signs Hung Over Route 1 In Saugus Likely Linked To Neo Nazi Group Anti-Semitic Signs Hung Over Route 1 In Saugus Likely Linked To Neo Nazi Group
Anti-Semitic Signs Hung Over Route 1 In Saugus Likely Linked To Neo Nazi Group EDITOR'S NOTE: This story contains images that feature hate language.  Drivers taking Route 1 in Saugus this weekend in were greeted with a hate-filled sign hanging from the Walnut Street overpass that blamed Jewish people for the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 a day before the anniversary. Photos of the signs that quickly made the rounds on social media showed three masked men standing proudly behind the anti-semitic graffiti.  A similar sign appeared in Danvers on an overpass on Route 114 Sunday, the 21st anniversary of the attacks. No group has officially taken credit for the stunt, but w…

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by Josh Lanier
Newtown, CT
News
Alex Jones Ordered To Pay Sandy Hook Shooting Victim's Family A Total Of $49M Alex Jones Ordered To Pay Sandy Hook Shooting Victim's Family A Total Of $49M
Alex Jones Ordered To Pay Sandy Hook Shooting Victim's Family A Total Of $49M Far-right radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has been ordered by a Texas jury to pay nearly $50 million to the family of a young boy killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. In a unanimous decision Friday, Aug. 5, the jury said Jones must pay $45.2 million in punitive damages in a lawsuit filed by the parents of 6-year-old victim Jesse Lewis. That’s in addition to the $4.1 million in compensatory damages the jury awarded the family the day prior. Jones had already been found liable in a default judgment for defamation and “intentional inflicti…

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by Michael Mashburn
Brookfield, CT
Schools
School District In New England Held Racially Segregated Events, Lawsuit Claims School District In New England Held Racially Segregated Events, Lawsuit Claims
School District In New England Held Racially Segregated Events, Lawsuit Claims A national parent-led organization that aims to “reclaim our schools from activists promoting harmful agendas” is suing a New England school district for alleged discrimination against white students. The Parents Defending Education organization in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, is accusing Wellesley Public Schools of discrimination by creating certain affinity groups for communities of color. It is further alleged that Wellesley held segregated events for students where some were invited but white students were excluded. 
“It is appalling that an American public school has consciously im…

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by Zak Failla
Elizabeth, NJ
News
NJ Homeowner Refusing To Remove Profanity-Laced Anti-Biden Signs Backed By ACLU NJ Homeowner Refusing To Remove Profanity-Laced Anti-Biden Signs Backed By ACLU
NJ Homeowner Refusing To Remove Profanity-Laced Anti-Biden Signs Backed By ACLU A New Jersey homeowner who is refusing to remove profanity-laced anti-Biden signs is being backed by the state's American Civil Liberties Union chapter, local officials confirmed. Andrea Dick was warned by Roselle Park code enforcement officers in June that if she didn't remove her signs in a timely manner, she'd face up to $500 in fines. Now, the Willow Avenue resident and her mom, Patricia Dilascio, are trying to appeal the fines in Union County Superior Court, with help from ACLU attorney Alexander Shalom, NJ Advance Media reports. Roselle Park Mayor Joe Signorello emphasized …

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by Cecilia Levine
Lower Paxton, PA
News
US Supreme Court Rules In Favor Pennsylvania Cheerleader In First Amendment Case US Supreme Court Rules In Favor Pennsylvania Cheerleader In First Amendment Case
US Supreme Court Rules In Favor Pennsylvania Cheerleader In First Amendment Case The Supreme Court overturned a lower court's ruling in the case of a cheerleader who took to SnapChat to vent her frustrations for not making the cheer squad. When Brandi Levy, of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill County was 14 she posted on SnapChat after she did not make the school’s junior varsity cheerleading squad by posting, “F——— school f——— softball f——— cheer f——— everything,” in a post over a photo of her and a friend giving the middle finger, as the Daily Voice previously reported. The Supreme Court ruled in her favor in this first amendment case, in an 8 to 1 ruling, with Justice Cl…

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by Jillian Pikora
Lower Paxton, PA
News
Snapchatting Cheerleader Will Have Landmark Freedom Of Student Speech Case In SCOTUS Snapchatting Cheerleader Will Have Landmark Freedom Of Student Speech Case In SCOTUS
Snapchatting Cheerleader Will Have Landmark Freedom Of Student Speech Case In SCOTUS A 14-year-old girl from Pennsylvania who blasted her school on Snapchat is getting her day in court: The Supreme Court. This is the first case addressing the freedom of speech of students or minors that the Supreme Court has heard in 50 years. The last was the landmark case of Tinker v. Des Moines in 1969, when students wore armbands to protest the Vietnam War and their school suspended them.  The Supreme Court sided with the students, declaring students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” Brandi Levy, of Mahanoy Cit…

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by Jillian Pikora
Massapequa, NY
Politics
Cuomo Signs Bill Banning Sale Of Confederate Flags In New York Cuomo Signs Bill Banning Sale Of Confederate Flags In New York
Cuomo Signs Bill Banning Sale Of Confederate Flags In New York A new bill signed into law by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will ban the sale of Confederate flags and other “hate symbols” on state property. Cuomo announced the new ban this week, which includes the flag, Nazi symbols, and other similar symbols of hate that can no longer be sold in public in New York, though there are some exceptions if they are used for educational or historical purposes. “This country faces a pervasive, growing attitude of intolerance and hate — what I have referred to in the body politic as an American cancer,” Cuomo said. "By limiting the display and sale of the confed…

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by Zak Failla
Newtown, CT
News
Alex Jones Sandy Hook Lawsuit To Continue While He Appeals, Judge Says Alex Jones Sandy Hook Lawsuit To Continue While He Appeals, Judge Says
Alex Jones Sandy Hook Lawsuit To Continue While He Appeals, Judge Says Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ defamation lawsuit that was filed by families of the Sandy Hook school shooting victim will continue as he attempts to delay proceedings. Several families are pursuing lawsuits against Jones for allegedly spreading lies about the shooting, going so far as to call it a plot orchestrated by family members during his “blood in the streets” rant. Jones has called the shooting everything from “staged” to “synthetic,” and “manufactured” while calling the shooting - which took the lives of 20 elementary school children and six staff members at Sandy Hook E…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
Judge In Hudson Valley Rules Mary Trump Can Publicize Newly Released Tell-All Book On Her Uncle Judge In Hudson Valley Rules Mary Trump Can Publicize Newly Released Tell-All Book On Her Uncle
Judge In Hudson Valley Rules Mary Trump Can Publicize Newly Released Tell-All Book On Her Uncle There’s going to be another member of the Trump family making the media rounds after a New York Judge gave the green light for Mary Trump to promote her controversial tell-all book. Hal Greenwald, a judge for the 9th Judicial District Supreme Court in the Hudson Valley, lifted a temporary restraining order on President Donald Trump’s niece, much to the chagrin of her father, Robert. In a lawsuit last month, citing a confidentiality agreement Mary signed in 2011, Robert sought an injunction to prevent promotion of "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created The World's Most Dangerous M…

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by Zak Failla
Brentwood, NY
Police & Fire
Protesters Won't Be Permitted To Enter Roadways, Hinder Traffic Under New Suffolk PD Procedures Protesters Won't Be Permitted To Enter Roadways, Hinder Traffic Under New Suffolk PD Procedures
Protesters Won't Be Permitted To Enter Roadways, Hinder Traffic Under New Suffolk PD Procedures New procedures are being enacted in Suffolk County for protesters who have flooded some streets and highways in recent weeks after the George Floyd killing. Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart announced the new methods to help protect protesters’ rights to peacefully demonstrate. Hart said that officials have determined that the new protocols will increase safety for both protestors and the general public. During protests, there will now be a safe path provided for protestors to walk and congregate, while enabling a safe flow of traffic for motorists. The new protocols will a…

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by Zak Failla
Middletown, NJ
News
Prosecutor: Asbury Park Police Justified In Arresting Reporter During Protest Prosecutor: Asbury Park Police Justified In Arresting Reporter During Protest
Prosecutor: Asbury Park Police Justified In Arresting Reporter During Protest Asbury Park police were justified in arresting a newspaper reporter during a June protest, authorities said Wednesday. An internal affairs investigation led by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office concluded that the Asbury Park officers who arrested APP journalist Gustavo Martinez Contreras during the June 1 George Floyd protest "reasonably believed he was one of the protestors," Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said. "Arresting officers had no knowledge they were apprehending a reporter." Martínez was covering the demonstration for APP.com and arrested while live-stream…

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by Jon Craig
Pascack Valley, NJ
Police & Fire
Police Unions Respond To 'Inflammatory Hate Speech' Police Unions Respond To 'Inflammatory Hate Speech'
Police Unions Respond To 'Inflammatory Hate Speech' With "vile ideology" festering in their communities in the form of "ACAB" posts and signs, three Bergen County police locals banded together Friday morning to have their say. "Please remember, and remind your children, that police officers in the Pascack Valley are your friends - not your enemies," presidents and delegates of Hillsdale PBA Local 207, Montvale PBA Local 303 and Pascack Valley PBA Local 206 wrote in a public letter issued Friday morning. "We are the men and women who stood tall over these past few months during the health pandemic and put ourselves and our families at risk wh…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Brentwood, NY
News
Three Arrested At Long Island Protest Three Arrested At Long Island Protest
Three Arrested At Long Island Protest Three people were arrested after about 100 protesters walked down the streets of East Meadow in what was a peaceful protest on Friday, June 12.  The three men were charged with disorderly conduct, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Police Commissioner Patrick J. Ryder said in a joint statement. "For the demonstrators' safety, Police repeatedly made attempts to keep protesters off moving lanes of traffic," the statement said. "This safety precaution was met with strong opposition and resistance which resulted in the arrests. "We continue to support the rights of individuals …

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by Daily Voice
Massapequa, NY
News
Thousands Of LIers Protest Throughout Weekend With Limited Number Of Arrests Thousands Of LIers Protest Throughout Weekend With Limited Number Of Arrests
Thousands Of LIers Protest Throughout Weekend With Limited Number Of Arrests Thousands of Long Islanders continued peaceful protests of the police-related death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, though some were arrested during demonstrations over the weekend. Sign-wielding protesters marched along streets in Suffolk and Nassau County over the weekend, chanting rallying cries as the two-week anniversary of Floyd’s death approached on Monday, June 8. Most of the protests remained peaceful, though nearly a dozen protesters were arrested on Saturday, June 6, when two Nassau County Police Department officers suffered injured attempting to suppress them. In Merrick, Nass…

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by Zak Failla
New City, NY
News
'Protesters Are Not Same As Rioters,' Rockland County Exec Says, Clarifying Earlier Comments 'Protesters Are Not Same As Rioters,' Rockland County Exec Says, Clarifying Earlier Comments
'Protesters Are Not Same As Rioters,' Rockland County Exec Says, Clarifying Earlier Comments Rockland Executive Ed Day is clarifying comments he made earlier this week after saying the county is ready to “take on anarchists” who were posting social media threats online. While many peaceful protests have been held in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, there have been some opportunists taking advantage of the situation by looting and committing other violent acts. “These anarchists come to this county at their own peril,” Day wrote on Facebook after some threats were made on social media earlier this week. “This is not de Blasio nor Cuomo territory and there will be n…

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by Zak Failla