Simpson Thacher and ACLU of Mississippi Challenge Constitutionality of Mississippi Permitting Policies
08.10.20
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Simpson Thacher and the ACLU of Mississippi are challenging a Lafayette County, Mississippi permitting policy on First Amendment grounds. The Lafayette County Courthouse grounds have long been a site of protests, rallies and other community activities. These have included recent protests and counter-protests regarding the Confederate monument located on the Courthouse grounds. In July 2020, local documentary filmmaker, photographer, visual artist and educator, John Rash, applied for a permit to use the Courthouse grounds for his evening PROJECT(ion) event as part of the annual Oxford Fringe Festival. Lafayette County subsequently amended its policies to prohibit all nighttime activity on the Courthouse grounds and denied Mr. Rash’s permit. The Firm is now challenging the constitutionality of the permitting policies, seeking to ensure that Mr. Rash and his fellow Lafayette County citizens are afforded their full First Amendment rights to engage in political speech in a public forum.
To read the ACLU of Mississippi’s press release, please click here.
The case has been covered by publications including Mississippi Free Press and Hotty Toddy.
The Simpson Thacher team includes Jon Youngwood and Isaac Rethy.