Lincoln Lawyer Says Peaceful Protests Should Be Allowed

Several hundred arrests have been made around the state surrounding recent protests. Lincoln attorney Justin Cook has offered to take some of those cases pro bono, as he thinks peaceful civil rights protests are something that should be respected.
“If you're not out assaulting individuals and doing things of that nature that are violent. You're simply trying to protest and trying to raise awareness to individuals that have been oppressed for hundreds and hundreds of years, I don't think there's anything wrong with that,” Cook said. “And I think some individuals, in fact, would respect that, and should respect that.”

Cook said as long as you aren’t breaking any laws, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting into legal trouble.

“If people are doing nothing more than protesting, then they don't need to know anything other than the fact that they have a First Amendment right to free speech,” Cook said. “If you're not breaking any laws, which none of those individuals are, then I would argue all day long that those that break the “so-called” curfew are also not breaking the law. In my opinion the First Amendment is something that's much more important than a curfew.

Cook said if a protestor does get arrested, he advises they shouldn’t make any statements before they have a lawyer with them.

“Once it reaches that point, you’re not going to talk yourself out of getting arrested,” Cook said. “So don’t make the situation worse.”