US city speech restriction controversies

In late July 2026, municipal officials in Charleston, South Carolina, began questioning a 2021 ordinance that requires permits for gatherings of 25 or more people and imposes location and signage limits on demonstrations. Council members called for a review and organized a public protest of the rule.

Around the same time, the Los Angeles City Council’s 2025 adoption of Council Rule 7, which bans the use of the racial slur “N‑word” and the obscene term “C‑word” during public‑comment sessions, drew criticism from First Amendment groups. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and the First Amendment Coalition threatened litigation on behalf of resident Stacey Segarra‑Bohlinger, who was barred from speaking under the rule.

By early August 2026, the focus shifted to a formal legal challenge in Los Angeles. The same First Amendment organizations sent a letter to Council President Marqueece Harris‑Dawson and City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto demanding the ban’s repeal within 30 days, arguing it violates the U.S. Constitution and California’s Brown Act and could set a broader precedent for speech bans.