Activist

Atlanta Activist Champions Traffic Law Reform After Surviving Harrowing Crosswalk Accident

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Atlanta, GA — Struck by a vehicle in a horrific crash that catapulted her 38 feet, Veronica Watts spent a substantial part of 2024 healing from a traumatic brain injury, a broken nose, and a spinal contusion. Her painful recovery has galvanized her into action against Georgia’s permissive traffic laws, which allowed the driver who hit her to escape with only a $250 fine and continued driving privileges. On that unusually warm winter day, Watts attempted to cross North Avenue near a local supermarket at around 2 p.m. When she moved from the median after … Read more

Jury Clears Parish Officials in First Amendment Case, Activist Joy Banner Vows to Continue Fight for Transparency

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NEW ORLEANS — A federal jury in New Orleans has ruled in favor of St. John the Baptist Parish leaders in a First Amendment lawsuit brought by environmental justice activist Joy Banner. The verdict, delivered in the U.S. Eastern District of Louisiana, concluded that Parish President Jaclyn Hotard, Council President Michael Wright, and the parish itself did not infringe upon Banner’s freedom of speech or engage in retaliation against her. During the trial, jurors deliberated for over three hours before determining that the officials did not impede Banner’s speech nor violate Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law … Read more

Thai Activist Lawyer Arnon Nampa Sentenced Again Under Lèse-majesté as Calls for Monarchy Reform Persist

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Bangkok, Thailand — Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa has received his sixth conviction under Thailand’s stringent lèse-majesté laws, culminating from his role in a pro-democracy protest in August 2020. Currently detained, Nampa faces almost 19 years in prison with additional charges still pending. Nampa, notable for his vocal criticism of the Thai monarchy, has faced a dozen royal defamation charges to date. His detentions have sparked widespread concern amongst human rights advocates, pointing to an intensifying crackdown on democratic expressions in the nation. The controversy centers on allegations stemming from Nampa’s speeches calling for … Read more

Los Gatos Officials Battle Defamation Claims by Far-Right Activist in Court; Seek Dismissal of Lawsuit

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Los Gatos, CA — In a legal battle that has captured the local community’s attention, Los Gatos Town Council member Maria Ristow and Vice Mayor Rob Moore have filed a formal response to accusations of defamation made by far-right activist Lynley Kerr Hogan. Hogan’s lawsuit, initiated on November 14 of last year, claims that she was defamed and unlawfully excluded from public meetings by Ristow, Moore, and Los Gatos Democracy Tent moderator Lee Fagot. The allegations trace back to comments purportedly made by Moore and Ristow, where Hogan was accused of threatening violence at a … Read more