Attorney General Formella Statement on ACLU Amicus Brief to New Hampshire Supreme Court

Concord, NH - Attorney General John M. Formella issues the following statement on the ACLU's amicus brief to the New Hampshire Supreme Court:

"I am disappointed that the ACLU has chosen to support an organized hate group such as NSC-131. Hate has no place in New Hampshire, and we will not sit idly by while organized hate groups like NSC-131 commit illegal acts for the purpose of harassing and even terrorizing our citizens. As my Office articulated in its opening brief to the New Hampshire Supreme Court, the right to engage in speech does not permit people to commit unlawful acts, such as the trespass that NSC-131 has been accused of committing. Further, it is a violation of the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act to commit a trespass motivated by race. Such unlawful acts send a message to marginalized communities that New Hampshire does not welcome them. Any failure to enforce our Civil Rights Act in the face of these unlawful acts would send a message to marginalized communities that New Hampshire law enforcement will not take the necessary steps to protect them. As we have maintained since we initiated this case, our construction of the Civil Rights Act is consistent with the free speech provisions of the state and federal constitutions, and we carefully consider any potential action that may appear to impact those rights. We will continue our efforts to protect all of New Hampshire's citizens from hate and discrimination by strongly enforcing our Civil Rights Act."