The Left’s Proud Legacy of Defending Free Speech
Throughout US history, left-wingers have often suffered harsh repression of their civil liberties, which is why they were at the forefront of fights to defend free speech. It’s a proud tradition that the Palestine movement must carry on today.
Demonstrators wave Palestinian flags and hold signs as they rally through the streets against Israel’s war on Gaza on September 2, 2024, in New York City. (John Lamparski / AFP via Getty Images)
November 2, 1909, was “Free Speech Day” in Spokane, Washington. The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) — Wobblies, as they were commonly known — set up a soapbox on the street to denounce the evils of capitalist exploitation, the virtues of the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of speech, and the need to organize the working class into one big union.
Free Speech Day was not a state-sanctioned holiday. The Spokane City Council, concerned by IWW organizing efforts and the threat of “revolutionists,” had actually barred public speaking in the town. The IWW responded by putting out a call to action: “Wanted: Men to Fill the Jails of Spokane.”
As each labor activist stepped up on the soapbox to speak, local police quickly arrested and in many cases beat them. The radicals’ claims that as Americans they were entitled to free speech rights were not recognized by the arresting officers. In just one day, 103 people were arrested for the crime of speaking in public.
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