Thursday, September 17, 7-8pm, this event will be occurring via Zoom

You submit a letter to your local papers critical of a major corporation’s activities in your town. Next thing you know, you are being sued for defamation. How can that be? You have First Amendment rights to free speech, so what’s going on here?

It’s called being SLAPPed. SLAPP [Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation] is a legal device that corporations promoting policies detrimental to communities may use to discourage protests from people who oppose them. Join us on Thursday, September 17, 7-8pm, for an introduction to SLAPP suits.

Our speaker, Central Ohio long-time activist Mike Kovalik, will explain the acronym and guide us through example cases and their often-mind-bending justifications that seem at odds with our freedom of speech rights.

Learn how corporations focused on profits have employed this little-known tactic to suppress the voices of people who are speaking out to protect the rights, health, and future of their communities. Welcome to the World of SLAPP.

This one-hour session is part of Central Ohio’s Move to Amend “Speaking of Democracy” series that dives into local issues. All are welcome to join. A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation.

Join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.

Contact: Sandy Bolzenius, columbus@movetoamend.org or 614-843-6170

Hosted by Move to Amend Central Ohio.