In the News

• City of Detroit Counters Lawsuit From Black Lives Matter Organization

  Tabatha Abu El-Haj, JD, an associate professor in the Kline School of Law, was quoted in a Jan. 1 NPR “Morning Edition” segment about First Amendment lawsuits against Detroit police, following Black Lives Matter protests in the city after the death of George Floyd.
  

• Our Best Bet—Legislating a Robust Right to Peaceably Assemble

  Tabatha Abu El-Haj, JD, an associate professor in the Kline School of Law, authored two opinion articles on Aug. 11 and Aug. 10 for Balkinization about the necessity to legislate a robust right to peaceably assemble and the search for clarity on protester’s rights in McKesson v Doe. 
  

• Mckesson V. Doe—Searching for Clarity on Protesters’ Rights

  Tabatha Abu El-Haj, JD, an associate professor in the Kline School of Law, authored two opinion articles on Aug. 11 and Aug. 10 for Balkinization about the necessity to legislate a robust right to peaceably assemble and the search for clarity on protester’s rights in McKesson v Doe. 
  

• We’ve Neglected the Freedom of Assembly for Years Before Portland

  Tabatha Abu El-Haj, JD, an associate professor in the Kline School of Law, was quoted in a July 29 Slate article about the First Amendment – which protects “the right of the people peaceably to assemble” –and how it is often forgotten, particularly amid the protests in Portland.
  

• What Does the Constitutional Right of Assembly Protect? What Counts as “Peaceable”? And Who Should Decide?

  Tabatha Abu El-Haj, JD, an associate professor in the Kline School of Law, authored a June 9 Just Security article about what the constitutional right to assemble protects, what counts as "peaceable" - and who gets to decide it is so?

•  Birmingham Bans Protests 19 Hours a Day. That’s Likely Unconstitutional, Experts Say

  Tabatha Abu El-Haj, JD, an associate professor in the Kline School of Law, was quoted in a June 8 AL.com article about the unconstitutionality of Birmingham banning protests for 19 hours a day.
  

• A Police Officer Sued a Black Lives Matter Protester for Violence He Didn’t Commit. What’s Next Has Free-Speech Advocates Worried.

  Tabatha Abu El-Haj, JD, an associate professor in the Kline School of Law, was quoted in a Dec. 13 Washington Post article about the first amendment, violence at protests and efforts to sue protest organizers for the acts of others. The article was picked up by numerous outlets in including MSN News, The Seattle Times and SFGate.

• Weathersbee: 'Blacklist' Mirrors Efforts to Stigmatize Dissent

  Tabatha Abu El-Haj, PhD, JD, an associate professor in the Kline School of Law, was quoted in a March 10 Commercial Appeal article regarding a recent list of activists banned from Memphis' City Hall and proposed bills with the potential to infringe on persons' First Amendment rights when it comes to peaceful protest.

• 2016: A Presidential Election Unlike any Other

  Tabatha Abu El-Haj, Phd, JD, an associate professor in the Kline School of Law was quoted in a Nov. 6 Philadelphia Inquirer story about voter dissatisfaction and the bipartisan concern that political leaders are not representing their constituents. 

• The RNC Will Be a First Amendment Disaster

  Tabatha Abu El-Haj, PhD, JD, an associate professor in the Kline School of Law, authored an opinion piece for Slate on July 15 about protests planned for the Republican National Convention.

• Commentary: Inconvenient Protests Are The Price of Liberty

  Tabatha Abu El-Haj, PhD, JD, an associate professor in the Kline School of Law, authored an opinion piece for The Philadelphia Inquirer on July 14 about protests planned for the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. 

• Roberts' Court on Path to Do Still More Damage to our Democracy

  An opinion piece about a case before the Supreme Court on whether compelled union dues violate the first amendment, written by Tabatha Abu El-Hajj, JD, an associate professor in the Kline School of Law, ran on TheHill.com on Jan. 12.

• Fundamental right to disrupt

  Tabatha Abu El-Haj, JD, PhD, an associate professor in the School of Law, wrote an opinion piece for The Philadelphia Inquirer on Aug. 28 about the value of outdoor assemblies, in light of the protests in Ferguson, Missouri.