Letter: Utah bill targeting protesters is a frontal assault on First Amendment rights
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Students from Olympus High march down 3900 South to protest ICE, on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026.
It’s President’s Day as I watch the country crumble with the Utah Legislature’s help. It just passed two bills that, along with others in the works, aim to put a foot on the scales of justice and bypass clear rulings that reflect the law and will of the people. Other bills will suppress the vote under the guise of preventing nonexistent voting fraud. In that setting, HB331 (Criminal Offenses Modifications) launches a frontal attack on the First Amendment rights of free speech, assembly and protest under seemingly legitimate pretenses.
HB331 aligns Utah’s definitions of terrorism with federal definitions. Will those who speak against Trump’s policies or for the humanity of Palestinians now also be labeled terrorists?HB331 prohibits obstructing streets. What about the thousands of Utahns who felt that they had no other option than to march down State Street to convey that we rejected a monarchy in 1776 and don’t want one now? Or that we want ICE off our streets?HB331 prevents mask wearing while engaging in a “criminal” protest. At the same time, the Legislature killed a bill that would have prohibited ICE agents from hiding behind masks as they brutalize U.S. citizens and residents without fear of accountability to the law, basic policing standards, or human decency. Meanwhile, ICE openly uses facial recognition to form databases of protestors.HB331 seeks to keep protesters off “public” property, but what does “public” mean? Shouldn’t ICE agents also be out of homes, private property, schools, hospitals, churches and courthouses without warrants? Is there no place left where citizens/residents can feel safe? How many more videos of ICE abusing due process and basic decency before insisting on constraints and accountability?Please support our First Amendment rights by encouraging your representatives to vote “No” on HB331. Our country depends on it.
Ellen Brady, Murray
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