Violence in the name of protesting that has been glorified by leftists took a big hit in a recent court ruling. Leftists have claimed that their violent protests are lawful, and the mainstream media once described these actions as “mostly peaceful.”
This has created a two-tiered perspective of protesting where anything the left wants to do counts as a lawful protest while any public dissension from conservatives is vilified as unlawful. Leftists are even praised for violence that attacks societal norms or the rule of law in the country.
The perceived protection enjoyed by leftists was hammered by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. The decision slapped down a leftist protest organizer who allegedly contributed to injuring a police officer.
From Fox News:
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from a Black Lives Matter (BLM) organizer who was held liable by a lower court for a random protester’s attack on a police officer at a protest he organized.In 2016, civil rights activist Deray Mckesson was sued by an unnamed Baton Rouge police officer — “John Doe” — for injuries he sustained during a protest.
Doe claimed that an unidentified third party threw a “rock-like” object during the protest and hit him, knocking his teeth out and leaving him with a brain injury. The officer sued Mckesson on the theory that he “should have known” that the protest “would become violent as other similar riots had become violent.”
Lawyers for the officer described in their legal brief how Mckesson created an environment where out-of-state protesters sympathetic to BLM flew into town, gathered, engaged and enticed police, and proceeded to “loot, damage property, injure bystanders, injure police.” The brief argued that Mckesson expected that police would be injured.
The officer won several rounds in the lawsuit in lower courts. The Fifth Circuit ruled the case could proceed because Mckesson allegedly “directed his own tortious activity” by “organiz[ing] and direct[ing] a protest… such that it was likely that a violent confrontation with the police would result.”
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) represented Mckesson and argued that the claims violated his First Amendment rights. The ACLU also argued that the ruling would “chill classic First-Amendment-protected activity nationwide.”
After the high court refused to take up the case, liberal-leaning Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued a separate opinion encouraging the lower courts to consider a counter view of the case. She cited a recent Supreme Court decision protecting a person who makes a violent threat as “fair consideration.”
Sotomayor’s unsolicited opinion in this case exposed how the liberal mindset has invaded even the highest level of the judicial system. Her comments show the determination of liberals to avoid holding violent offenders and their promoters accountable for their actions.
Key Takeaways:
- BLM leader hammered by Supreme Court over allegedly harming a police officer.
- The activist organized a protest that a lower court said rallied violent protesters.
- The ACLU cried foul over the chilling effect the decision might have on free speech.
Source: Fox News
