Chicago Sun-Times: Did Chicago-area libraries give in to 'heckler's veto'?

The ACLU sent letters to boards of the Northbrook and Highland Park public libraries last month, saying policies that impose extra security and insurance fees in anticipation of protests of a planned showing of a documentary on Israel violate the First Amendment.

Libraries aim to be book sanctuaries and protectors of free speech, but two area institutions’ policies of added security and insurance fees ahead of a controversial documentary on Israel allowed a “heckler’s veto” — when an individual or group is silenced due to the conduct of an audience — to stop the film from being shown, advocates say.

Last month, the ACLU of Illinois sent letters to the boards of Northbrook and Highland Park public libraries, calling their policies that impose additional security and insurance fees on room bookings in anticipation of protests unconstitutional.

“In short, due to the angry reaction to the film’s ideas, the library imposed a fee that ultimately prevented the film from being shown,” wrote Rebecca Glenberg, chief litigation counsel for the First Amendment at the ACLU of Illinois. “The library’s handling of the controversy encourages members of the public who are unhappy about a group’s use of a library to shut down the event by creating a sufficient hue and cry.”

Now the libraries say they will evaluate their room rental policies after a canceled screening of a documentary on Israel earlier this year in Northbrook led to outcry from First Amendment advocates.