Oral argument in Blum v. Holder

Date 

Add to My Calendar Wednesday, August 29, 2012 12:00am

Location 

Please join the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 11:00a.m., for oral argument in Blum v. Holder, our case challenging the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) as a violation of the First Amendment.  Come out and show your support to have this law struck down as an unconstitutional violation of free speech!

Blum v. Holder is a facial challenge to the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA.)  Passed by Congress in November 2006, the AETA is aimed at suppressing speech and advocacy surrounding certain industries by criminalizing First Amendment-protected activities such as protests, boycotts, picketing and whistle-blowing. The statute punishes anyone found to have caused the loss of property or profits to a business or other institution that uses or sells animals (or animal products), or has “a connection to, relationship with, or transactions with an animal enterprise."

Pushed through Congress by a powerful lobby of pharmaceutical corporations and groups like the Fur Commission USA and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the AETA is an unconstitutional law because it criminalizes a broad swath of protected First Amendment activities and is so unclear as to fail to give people notice of whether or not their conduct is lawful.

The Blum plaintiffs are animal rights activists from across the country who are chilled from continuing their lawful and important advocacy work based on the broad reach of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.

CCR has been a primary defender of animal rights and environmental activists targeted by the “Green Scare,”—the disproportionate, heavy-handed government crackdown on these movements, including the use of COINTELPRO-style tactics and the reckless labeling of these activists as “terrorists.”

Last modified 

August 27, 2012