FIRST ON FOX: Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and Todd Young, R-Indiana urge history museums in Washington DC to protect the First Amendment rights of pro-life protesters expected to descend on the city on Friday.
“This peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights has historically provided participants with a positive, welcoming experience in our nation’s capital,” the senators wrote in a letter to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
Two years ago, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum reprimanded several Catholic students and their chaperones for wearing pro-life clothing. Students and chaperones from Our Lady of the Rosary School in Greenville, South Carolina, traveled to Washington, DC, to participate in the annual National March for Life. The group stood out wearing matching blue hats with the words ‘Rosary PRO-LIFE’ on them.
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Sens. Todd Young and Ted Cruz warn museums in a pen letter to adhere to the freedom of speech of pro-life demonstrators. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)(Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
At the time, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which represented the parents of some students, alleged that museum staff mocked the group, used expletives and claimed that the museum was a “neutral zone” that banned political or religious messages.
In a settlement reached on March 18, 2024, the Smithsonian Institution resolved a lawsuit involving the removal of students from the National Air and Space Museum for wearing pro-life hats. As part of the agreement, the Smithsonian promised to provide students with a tour and apology, update its dress policy to include religious and political speeches for public security personnel, share video footage and investigative details of the incident and pay $50,000.
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People attend the annual March for Life rally on the National Mall on January 19, 2024 in Washington, DC (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
“While we are pleased that the victims of this harassment have received justice, this clearly should never have happened in the first place. No amount of money could truly undo the heinous acts: officers with the emblem and power of the federal government were openly intimidated and violated the First Amendment rights of peaceful students,” the senators wrote to the museums last week.
“Furthermore, American taxpayers footed the bill for the egregious behavior of the Smithsonian Institution’s employees and apparent lack of adequate training. This cannot happen again,” they said.
People attend the annual March for Life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on January 19, 2024 in Washington, DC (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
That same year, NARA settled a lawsuit in December 2023 after staff allegedly asked attendees to remove pro-life clothing during the March for Life protest earlier that year. The visitors, also represented by the ACLJ, claimed their First Amendment rights had been violated. NARA apologized, admitted that the incident violated its policies and agreed to pay $10,000 in legal fees while providing staff training to prevent future violations.
The senators urged the institutions to answer questions about whether they have honored previous regulations regarding the treatment of visitors displaying religious or political messages and whether staff have been reminded of policies protecting freedom of expression . NARA is also being asked to commit to maintaining these protections after a key order expires in January 2025. Both agencies have been asked to provide detailed explanations of their actions and preparations.
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In an email to Fox News Digital, Smithsonian Institution spokesperson Pamela Baker-Masson said, “We will correspond with the senators.”
NARA did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.
