The 2026 Perry Talks symposium brought together Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, MSR CEO Tracey Williams-Dillard and other distinguished voices near George Floyd Square for a timely conversation on racial justice and First Amendment rights during the Rise & Remember Festival.
First Amendment
Posted inEvents
Perry Talks Returns for Rise & Remember Festival With a Powerful Lineup and an Urgent Message
The 2026 Perry Talks symposium takes place May 25 during the Rise & Remember Festival at George Floyd Square, featuring a keynote from Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and a panel including MSR CEO Tracey Williams-Dillard on racial justice and First Amendment rights.
Posted inLocal & State
Gunfire, criticism and a walkout that never happened
A gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, forcing an evacuation and sparking criticism of Minnesota attendees including Mayor Jacob Frey for normalizing an administration that has repeatedly attacked the free press.
Posted inLocal & State
Black Man Allegedly Denied Entry at Cities Church; Activists Raise Pattern of Discrimination at Press Conference
Cities Church allegedly denied a Black man entry to worship in St. Paul as civil rights activists allege discrimination and retaliation tied to the Righteous 39 protest arrests.
Posted inLocal & State
Woman Arrested Outside St. Paul Church on Easter Sunday Has Charges Dismissed
Emily Phillips Cities Church arrest charges were dismissed by a Ramsey County judge after she spent Easter Sunday in jail for protesting outside the St. Paul congregation.
Posted inLocal & State
Protesters Plead Not Guilty in FACE Act Case Stemming From Cities Church Demonstration
Nekima Levy Armstrong FACE Act charges advance after she and Don Lemon pleaded not guilty in federal court over a January protest at Cities Church.
Posted inOpinion
History Will Remember Who Spoke and Who Hid
The arrest of Black journalists during live protest coverage signals a dangerous escalation against press freedom, raising urgent questions about the future of the First Amendment in America.
Posted inOpinion
Why freedom of speech matters
When we think about free speech, we usually think about our right to share our thoughts, ideas and beliefs, as long as we are respectful and not unfairly stopped by the government. Free speech is a basic human right protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. However, this protection is not unlimited. It […]
Posted inLocal & State
Felony charges for local activist called ‘excessive’
Indigenous poet and activist Isabella Lopez faces federal charges tied to a June 3 Lake Street raid. Her attorney calls the case political overreach, while supporters warn it could chill civic engagement. A Sept. 29 pretrial hearing was canceled, and trial is set for Nov. 24.
Posted inPolitics
Independent media next on Trump’s chopping block
The Senate has voted to eliminate $1.1 billion in public broadcasting funding. The bill now heads to the House, threatening the future of NPR, PBS, and local stations nationwide.
Posted inNational
PBS and rural TV station sue Trump
PBS and Lakeland PBS are suing President Trump, alleging his executive order cutting public broadcasting funds violates free speech protections.
Posted inOpinion
Officials can’t target Nike just because they don’t like Kaepernick
Regardless of what officials may think about the protests, the First Amendment prohibits the government from discriminating against individuals and organizations based on the content of their speech and the viewpoints they express.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Is it open season on free speech? Experts weigh the state of the First Amendment
The First Amendment protects all kinds of free speech, including “harmful” and objectionable speech. But will the Trump administration seek to limit or stifle free speech that is not to its liking? Fox News contributor Guy Benson and University of Minnesota Media Ethics and Law Professor Jane Kirtley last week had a one-hour “unscripted” conversation […]