n Portland, Oregon, a peaceful protest called Patriots United, allowed citizens to voice their concerns to their mayor in the city square. However, as the protest grew in number, violence erupted. Cars were set on fire, windows were vandalized, shops were looted (property stolen), dozens of people were hurt, and one person was killed. The Portland police declared the protest a riot and physically shut it down. Twenty citizens were arrested.

Question

Which Amendment, if any, was violated by the Portland police department when they shut down the peaceful protest that turned into a riot?

a
1st Amendment
b
2nd Amendment
c
14th Amendment
d
No violation of the Constitution has occurred

Answer 1

The appropriate answer would be:

d No violation of the Constitution has occurred

The First Amendment protects the right to peaceful assembly and free speech. However, the right to protest does not protect violent behavior or actions that pose a threat to public safety. When the protest escalated into violence, vandalism, looting, and resulted in injuries and a death, the police had the responsibility to maintain order and ensure public safety. Thus, declaring the protest a riot and shutting it down can be seen as a necessary action to protect the community, rather than a violation of constitutional rights.