Every US citizen has the freedom of assembly thanks to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. But what exactly does this mean? What about freedom of assembly in New Jersey? If you’re curious about your civil rights, you’ve come to the right place. In the past, our blog has covered your rights when under arrest, free speech rights, traffic stop rights, the right to due process, and many, many others. When it comes to exercising your rights, the worst thing you can have is ignorance. If you know your rights, you can use them. Therefore, today we’ll cover the right to freedom of assembly in New Jersey.

Freedom of Assembly in General

First, let’s define “freedom of assembly.” We have the freedom of assembly because we are “endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.” But it’s a right protected by law in the US Constitution. The First Amendment says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

This DOES NOT mean that the government grants us these rights. Rather, this means we have these rights naturally, and so the government cannot take them away. If the government gives us our rights, then they’re allowed to take them away. But if we have these rights naturally as people, then it’s unjust for the government to take them away. Hence, the phrase “Congress shall make no law.” The government’s job is to protect the people’s rights, not give them. Thanks to the Fourteenth Amendment, this not only includes the federal government, but also freedom of assembly in New Jersey.

Freedom of Assembly in New Jersey

Second, since New Jersey is a part of the United States, the state must acknowledge the US Constitution and protect its people with it. In spite of this, states have the freedom to limit the following:

• Time of assemblies
• Place of assemblies
• Manner of assemblies.

So, for example, if a group of explosive enthusiasts wanted to meet at 6am in the middle of town to watch grenades explode, the state would rightly prohibit such an assembly. After all, the assembly itself would violate numerous other laws.

Nevertheless, if citizens wish to peaceably assemble, as long as they do not break other laws, the government cannot infringe upon their freedom of assembly in New Jersey.

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Finally, if you need an attorney to defend your rights, hire Mark Catanzaro! He has the experience and knowledge to help you. Reach out today!