Los Angeles, California: Proposal to categorically ban certain epithets at city council meetings
Cases
Case Overview
In March 2025, the Los Angeles City Council introduced a motion to ban the words “cunt” and “nigger” at council meetings. The motion was later amended to clarify that the words would be banned regardless of the speaker’s intent.
On April 29, 鶹ýIOS wrote the city explaining the First Amendment prohibits the government from dictating which words citizens may or may not use to express themselves and that whether speech falls in an unprotected category such as “fighting words” — an extremely narrow if not obsolete First Amendment exception — necessarily requires consideration of context, intent, and effect.
Case Team
