A Battle Over Free Speech on Public Streets May Head to the Supreme Court

Worcester, Massachusetts: Home to a burgeoning biotech industry, a massive Americana collection at the American Antiquarian Society, and now, a fight over who gets to do what on city streets—one that’s become a circus of free-speech advocates, homeless activists, anti-abortion protestors, and more than a few federal judges.

It all began early last year, when the City of Worcester implemented its ban on “aggressive begging” in public spaces. Though the ordinance mostly targeted expressly antagonistic behavior—continuing to solicit after someone says “no,” using violent gestures, blocking someone’s passage—it also prohibited begging within 20 feet of a number of outdoor spaces, including café seating areas, ATMs, and bus stops, even if the solicitation only consisted of silently holding out a sign or cup for change.