A lawsuit has been filed against the National Park Service after officials allegedly threatened to revoke a protest permit due to signs critical of former President Donald Trump. The group Accountability NOW USA claims that the Trump administration used obscenity allegations as a pretext to suppress free speech.
Background of the Dispute
The controversy began in February when the Justice Department was accused of withholding Trump-related documents from public Epstein files. In response, the group displayed signs linking Trump and MAGA to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. President Trump has denied any wrongdoing, and the administration maintains it has released all legally required materials.
On April 14, the group received an email from a National Park Service agent stating that the anti-Trump message was “not protected by the first amendment and is therefore prohibited and a violation of law.” Subsequently, Dr. Kevin Griess, superintendent of Washington’s National Mall and Memorial Parks, allegedly wrote that the material had been evaluated and deemed unlawfully obscene. He warned that the Parks Service could take further steps to “ensure compliance.”
Legal Arguments
The lawsuit, filed with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), argues that the signs constitute political criticism and are protected under the First Amendment. “No colorable argument can be made that they are legally obscene,” the ACLU states. Obscenity, which is not protected speech, requires a high legal bar: material must be devoid of intellectual merit, patently offensive, and prurient. The ACLU contends that the signs do not meet this standard.
The group seeks a declaration that the signs are not obscene and that their permit cannot be revoked. The lawsuit names Griess and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum as defendants.
Broader Pattern of Alleged Repression
The complaint alleges that the threat is part of a larger pattern of protest repression under the Trump administration. It cites the September dismantling of a long-running peace vigil near the White House and the removal of a satirical statue of Trump and Epstein holding hands on the National Mall, despite the creators having a permit. The administration has also pushed to remove historical displays related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, which critics say has led to the erasure of non-ideological materials about racism and slavery.
The Independent has contacted the White House, National Mall, and Interior Department for comment.
