Court Cases

In May 2009, the Thornton City Council adopted a resolution significantly restricting free speech at city-sponsored events, such as the annual Fourth of July celebration and fall harvest festival. In response to concerns raised by the ACLU, the City revised some of the most onerous provisions, adopted official interpretations that were more free speech-friendly than the plain language of the policy, and provided assurance that no person could be criminally prosecuted for violating the resolution.

The City of Colorado Springs had a long history of conducting “sweeps” of public parks and other public areas where the City’s homeless commonly slept, ostensibly for cleaning up the parks and discarding trash. In response to public reports that homeless persons’ private property was commonly seized and destroyed during these “sweeps,” the ACLU interviewed dozens of homeless individuals affected by the City’s policy.