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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

Did Chicago's mayor have the right to ban protestors from the street in front of her residence?

By Esther Tsvayg
YES

When Chicago police recently blocked protestors from the street in front of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's residence, they relied on local laws banning residential protesting, intended to protect "the right to quiet enjoyment of [residents'] homes." A Chicago police spokesperson said that this ban is enforced circumstantially based on the size of the affected area.

The local laws appear supported by a 1988 Supreme Court ruling allowing bans on protests outside a residence. The state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union contended that a ban "does not necessarily extend to the entire block." The mayor's office further justified the move by citing threats made against Lightfoot.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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