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Santa Clara is setting up ‘free speech zones’ for the Super Bowl. Here’s what you need to know
San Jose Mercury News ^ | February 5, 2026 | Grace Hase

Posted on 02/05/2026 2:16:55 PM PST by nickcarraway

The zone will be activated from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Super Bowl Sunday

With tens of thousand of football fans descending on Santa Clara for Super Bowl LX on Sunday, city leaders have set aside two free speech zones near Levi’s Stadium for those who want to exercise their First Amendment rights around the game.

Here’s what you need to know:

Where are the free speech zones?

The zone to the west of Levi’s Stadium will be at the intersection of Great America Parkway and Patrick Henry Drive and the zone to the east will be at Tasman Drive and Lick Mill Boulevard. They will be activated on Feb. 8 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Why did the city create the free speech zones?

A Santa Clara spokesperson said in an email that the Super Bowl “requires extensive security coordination, crowd management and the protection of emergency access routes.”

“Members of the public are entitled to exercise their First Amendment free speech rights in traditional public forums such as sidewalks,” the spokesperson said. “At the same time, the Constitution allows reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on speech to further substantial governmental interests.”

(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: freespeech; nfl; superbowl

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SO, the NFL is going to allow people to scream racial slurs?
1 posted on 02/05/2026 2:16:55 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Well, it took 250 years, but we are now allowed Free Speech ... because the NFL said so.


2 posted on 02/05/2026 2:20:17 PM PST by ClearCase_guy (Law and Order -- only one of our political parties believes in it.)
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To: nickcarraway

3 posted on 02/05/2026 2:22:38 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum ( Klaatu barada nikto.)
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To: nickcarraway

Idea (pass it on):

Find an evening church service instead of the SB.


4 posted on 02/05/2026 2:27:38 PM PST by Salvavida
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To: nickcarraway

“the Constitution allows reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on speech to further substantial governmental interests.”

I’ll need Section and Clause for this?
The government shall NOT make ...


5 posted on 02/05/2026 2:27:48 PM PST by Cletus.D.Yokel (The Democrats' official policy is now, “Hate, Violence and Murder". Change my mind.)
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To: nickcarraway

6 posted on 02/05/2026 2:29:02 PM PST by Magnum44 (...against all enemies, foreign and domestic... )
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To: nickcarraway

This is BS.

They will still only allow “free speech” as they define it.


7 posted on 02/05/2026 2:29:25 PM PST by Fledermaus ("It turns out all we really needed was a new President!")
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To: Fledermaus

Be interesting to see. Will they allow someone to praise Trump? Say something pro-life? Anti-LGBT? Pro-Israel? Anti-China? We know the NBA would never allow anything remotely anti-China?


8 posted on 02/05/2026 2:36:49 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

LOL.


9 posted on 02/05/2026 2:37:01 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
Free Speech Zone = Mostly Peaceful Protest Zone


10 posted on 02/05/2026 2:49:30 PM PST by Magnum44 (...against all enemies, foreign and domestic... )
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To: nickcarraway

Free speech zones? I don’t think they understand free speech.


11 posted on 02/05/2026 2:59:31 PM PST by Raycpa
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To: nickcarraway

is the bad bunny halftime show gonna be a free speech zone?


12 posted on 02/05/2026 3:03:56 PM PST by Third Person
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To: Salvavida

this will be the very much less than super bowl for a multitude of reasons


13 posted on 02/05/2026 3:06:09 PM PST by Third Person
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To: nickcarraway

Can’t wait to not watch this anti-American nonsense on Sunday...


14 posted on 02/05/2026 3:09:39 PM PST by who knows what evil? (Hospitals are the most dangerous place on Earth! Dr. David Williams)
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To: nickcarraway

I hope that somebody has the “goal“ to utter some free speech slogans outside of the “Free speech zone.“ If he or she gets arrested, they have a magnificent lawsuit against this fascist city - and those who formulated this abomination and who enforce it will be personally liable.


15 posted on 02/05/2026 3:15:04 PM PST by Ancesthntr ("The right to buy weapons is the right to be free." The Weapons Shops of Isher)
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To: Ancesthntr

gall, not goal.


16 posted on 02/05/2026 3:16:40 PM PST by Ancesthntr ("The right to buy weapons is the right to be free." The Weapons Shops of Isher)
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To: Third Person

Once this is over, the next fun disaster to not watch will be

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/soccer/egypt-iran-fifa-world-cup-pride-match-seattle/3994549/

Anyone hear any updates on this?


17 posted on 02/05/2026 3:47:49 PM PST by missthethunder (Since the 1980 Rona Barrett interview. IYKYK. )
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To: missthethunder
“With matches on Juneteenth and pride, we get to show the world that in Seattle, everyone is welcome,” Seattle's Mayor-elect Kate Wilson wrote on social media. “What an incredible honor!”

feed her to the Iranians

18 posted on 02/05/2026 3:59:26 PM PST by Third Person
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To: nickcarraway
SO, the NFL is going to allow people to scream racial slurs?

They already do. It's called the "football field". The NFL seriously considered fining players for racial, gay and other "hate speech". When they tested it, they found almost all the offenders were black so they dropped the idea.

You'll notice NFL broadcasts have a lot less "live mic" moments than they used to and the "mic'ed up" segments are obviously edited.

19 posted on 02/05/2026 4:00:54 PM PST by OrangeHoof ("Our property is protected by two pitbulls. They love visitors, especially with marinara or garlic.")
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To: nickcarraway

The Super Bowl has evolved from a classic gridiron football championship into a Hunger Games style spectacle for celebrities, featuring a halftime show with a political performer wearing a dress, controversial because he is a man.

20 posted on 02/05/2026 4:06:18 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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