Does the First Amendment protect violence?
Michael King
Updated on April 10, 2026
In this regard, does the First Amendment protect inciting violence?
"Imminent lawless action" is a standard currently used that was established by the United States Supreme Court in Brandenburg v. Under the imminent lawless action test, speech is not protected by the First Amendment if the speaker intends to incite a violation of the law that is both imminent and likely.
Subsequently, question is, what types of speech are not protected by the First Amendment? The Supreme Court has called the few exceptions to the 1st Amendment "well-defined and narrowly limited." They include obscenity, defamation, fraud, incitement, true threats and speech integral to already criminal conduct.
Hereof, what does the First Amendment protect against?
Constitution of the United States
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.
What is a true threat 1st Amendment?
In legal parlance a true threat is a statement that is meant to frighten or intimidate one or more specified persons into believing that they will be seriously harmed by the speaker or by someone acting at the speaker's behest.