SCOTUS Abolishes Right to Mass Protest in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi

WASHINGTON— On Monday, the Supreme Court announced its decision not to hear Mckesson v. Doe. This decision leaves a lower court’s ruling effectively abolishing the right to organize a mass protest in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi, in place.

In the lower court’s decision, a protest organizer can be held responsible for illegal actions that take place at the hands of anyone attending the protest.

The decision stems from a case against Baton Rouge Black Lives Matter organizer, DeRay Mckesson. Mckesson organized a 2016 protest against Baton Rouge police in the wake of the police-killing of Alton Sterling.

During the protest, one of the attendees—who has not been identified—threw a rock at a police officer, hitting his face and injuring him. Even though McKesson did not throw the rock, the Supreme Court has upheld a 1982 decision holding him responsible as the organizer of the protest.

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