Final Paragraph:
Courts distinguish between speech that merely annoys an officer and speech that genuinely impedes their work. While police may resent offensive words, they cannot use their authority to punish individuals for lawful, protected conduct. Determining whether speech is protected or unprotected involves careful analysis of all surrounding facts and circumstances.
Edited to add:
Few of us here would align ourselves with the group trying to suppress information right now, so although I recognize this is not always a smart decision in every situation, I’m not really willing to get onboard with the idea that disseminating topical information from reasonable sources is a problem.
Use your downvotes as you see fit, but I’m not going to apologize for the post. Edit: And am a little disappointed to see information buried so decisively in this community on Lemmy of all places.
But they will. They will find excuses to arrest you, and they will claim resist arrest. If you sue them, they get a vacation paid by taxpayers.
Edit: pigs in the US are legally allowed to lie, and they are protected by qualified immunity.
I can attest. Was arrested for “loitering” while exercising my freedom of speech in the vicinity of a cop. Judge threw it out in the end but it was still a hassle.