Coloradans are free to wear their hearts and political leanings on their sleeves when they visit the state capitol now that a policy has been dropped banning free speech on apparel in the House and Senate visitor galleries.
Accusations of unequal enforcement and threats of a lawsuit from the free speech advocacy group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) prompted the reversal of policy this week.
The double standard was enforced against conservative radio host Jeff Hunt in May, who was blocked from the Senate gallery to watch debate on legislation regulating crisis pregnancy centers because he was wearing a sweatshirt that read “Pro-Life U.”
And yet just weeks earlier, FIRE said a group of students wearing shirts supporting gun control were permitted to sit in the gallery.
“Jeff should have been allowed to express his opinions in a non-disruptive manner, but the rule was overbroad and gave officials too much leeway to arbitrarily enforce the ban,” said FIRE attorney Josh Bleisch. “Now that the ban is no more, Coloradans can wear a political shirt where politics happens.”
Officials confirmed to The Washington Times the policy had been revoked:
Wearing pro-life swag in government buildings appears to be particularly problematic.
Last year, the National Archives and Records Administration agreed to a $10,000 settlement after ordering 2023 March for Life participants to remove their pro-life apparel and pins before touring the museum in Washington, D.C.
Democrats control both the state House and Senate.
It’s understandable that sign waving is forbidden in the spectator gallery as that would clearly be disruptive.
But it just seems ridiculous to ban political expression on pins or shirts while watching political debate among political representatives of the people.