Mississippi Free Speech Lawsuit Seeks to Block State Permission Mandate for Protests

Mississippi law will require people to obtain permission from state law enforcement officials for any protest near state government buildings in Jackson
Lawsuit filed against the mandate seeks to block it from taking effect on July 1
Those who protest without state government authorization and are charged with crimes may be prosecuted and sentenced to prison, which chills protected speech
The lawsuit was filed by the Mississippi Poor People’s Campaign and several other organizations against the Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner and the chief of the state-run Capitol Police department
Critics say the laws were passed to take away local autonomy in Jackson and surrounding Hinds County, which are both majority-Black and governed by Democrats, while supporters say they are trying to control violent crime.