Jailed Portland Protesters Must Agree to Stop Going to Protests to Be Freed

https://www.newsweek.com/jailed-portland-protesters-must-agree-stop-going-protests-freed-1521178

At least 12 Black Lives Matter protesters arrested during the ongoing demonstrations in Portland, Oregon have been told not to attend protests as a condition of their release from jail, something which may be a violation of their First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly.

"Defendant may not attend any other protests, rallies, assemblies or public gathering in the state of Oregon," states a document entitled "Order Setting Conditions of Release." The document is given to arrested protesters to sign before they're allowed out of jail.

Though the conditional release orders were signed by Magistrate Judges John V. Acosta and Jolie A. Russo of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, it's unclear whether the magistrates or Justice Department officials added the condition forbidding arrestees to attend future protests or public gatherings.

Several of the orders had the condition written on it before being given to a magistrate for signing, according to the investigative journalism nonprofit ProPublica.

*snip*