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Law’s Jonathan Entin discussed the legality of hate speech

Beachwood residents report swastika on vehicle, but police say it is protected free speech

Headshot of Jonathan Entin

WEWS: Jonathan Entin, the David L. Brennan Professor Emeritus of Law and adjunct professor of political science, commented for a story on whether hate speech is illegal or considered free speech. Although a swastika displayed on a vehicle in Beachwood is considered offensive, hate speech is protected unless direct threats are made to an individual or group, he explained. “Saying those things, as a general matter, is obnoxious,” Entin said. “But it’s also constitutionally protected.”