R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul

R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul (1992) was a Supreme Court case where a teenager burned a cross on a Black family's lawn, which was considered a hate crime under St. Paul’s hate speech ordinance. The Court ruled the ordinance was unconstitutional because it targeted speech based on content—specifically, hate speech—thus suppressing free expression protected by the First Amendment. The decision emphasized that the government cannot prohibit speech just because it is hateful or offensive unless it incites violence or criminal activity.