Appeals Court Revives Claims Against Activist Over Protest (1)

A federal appeals court revived a Louisiana police officer’s lawsuit against a civil rights activist over injuries the officer suffered at a Baton Rouge protest, prompting one judge to warn the decision “imperils” free speech rights.

A split three-judge panel for the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit found Thursday there is enough evidence for a jury to find that activist DeRay Mckesson, who is associated with the Black Lives Matter movement, was a protest leader who should be held liable for a law enforcement officer’s injuries during the 2016 demonstration.

John Ford, who left law enforcement after ...