CNN —The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned away an appeal from John Nassif, a January 6 defendant who challenged a law that bans “parading, picketing, and demonstrating” at the US Capitol as a violation of the First Amendment.
After he was charged with four misdemeanor counts, he attempted to have the charge forbidding “parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building” dismissed.
Lower courts, including the federal appeals court in Washington, DC, declined to do so.
The appeals court ruled that the Capitol buildings are not a public forum open to protests.
“Nassif has not established that the Capitol buildings are, by policy or practice, generally open for use by members of the public to voice whatever concerns they may have – much less to use for protests, pickets, or demonstrations,” a three-judge panel ruled.
Persons:
John Nassif, ”, “ Nassif
Organizations:
CNN, Capitol
Locations:
Washington , DC