Capitol Square Review and Advisory Bd. v. Pinette (1994)
- Docket
- 94-780
- Decided
- 1994-01-01
Summary
Question: Did the Board's denial of a permit to the Ku Klux Klan violate free speech under the First Amendment? Conclusion: Yes. The display was private religious speech that "is as fully protected under the Free Speech Clause as secular private expression." Because Capitol Square is designated as a traditional public forum, any group may express their views there, and the Board may regulate the content of the Klan's expression on the plaza only if a restriction is necessary and narrowly drawn to serve a compelling state interest.