Rev. Barber on court refusal to consider his free speech case
Contacts:
Martha Waggoner:; mwaggoner@breachrepairers.org
Ana Blackburn: blackburnana@yahoo.com
** Media Advisory: 2PM Tuesday, May 10 **
REV. DR. BARBER II, NORTH CAROLINA POOR PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN HOLD NEWS CONFERENCE ON FIGHT FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF COURTS, FREE SPEECH & RIGHT TO INSTRUCT THE LEGISLATURE FOR GOOD OF THE WHOLE
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, representatives from the NC Poor People’s Campaign & other social justice groups address ongoing fight to ensure right to free expression in North Carolina, important role of courts in protecting democracy
RALEIGH, N.C. – Social justice leaders will gather at the North Carolina General Assembly on Tuesday to address the N.C. Supreme Court’s decision to decline to take up Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II’s petition for discretionary review in an appeal surrounding a trespassing case stemming from a May 2017 moral action at the General Assembly. Leaders are also calling for the right of North Carolinians to advocate for change to be protected as guaranteed by the First Amendment. On Tuesday, Rev. Dr. Barber and social justice leaders will also detail the vitally important role of the courts and the voice of the people in the road ahead toward the mass mobilization for the rights of over 140 million poor and low-wealth people in the United States, leading to the Mass Poor People’s & Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls on June 18, 2022.
Who: Speakers will include:
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II - President, Repairers of the Breach
Ana Blackburn - Tri-chair, North Carolina Poor People’s Campaign
Other social, faith and legal leaders
When: 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Where: North Carolina General Assembly Raleigh, NC
The news conference also will be live-streamed here.
Additional information:
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II appealed to the NC Supreme Court to take up his case on January 25th. The case arises from charges brought against him for engaging in First Amendment - protected public speech advocating for the rights of people living in poverty at the North Carolina General Assembly during regular business hours in May 2017. That case was pending before the NC Supreme Court, which could have taken it up for discretionary review or determined that they would not consider it. It presented important First Amendment and constitutional protection issues for the state of North Carolina and is a part of the ongoing movement’s efforts to ensure that the voices of the people seeking to bring light to our fights are not stifled in the House of the people in the state of NC and nationally. You can read the brief in that case here.