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Can you shout fire in a crowded theater?

Research & Learn

Ever heard the line, “You can’t shout fire in a crowded theater”? Well actually… you can. There are very few legitimate restrictions on free speech, but never fear FIRE is here to tell you everything you need to know.

Shouting 'Fire!' in a crowded theater

Defending Your Rights

The phrase is a misquotation of an analogy made in a 1919 Supreme Court opinion that upheld the imprisonment of three people — a newspaper editor, a pamphlet publisher, and a public speaker — who argued that military conscription was wrong. But the Supreme Court abandoned the logic of that case more than 50 years ago.

You can shout fire in a burning theater: Part 5 of answers to bad arguments against free speech from Nadine Strossen and Greg Lukianoff

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