The Los Angeles City Council is on a collision course with the First Amendment as it attempts to control what people say in public meetings.

A potential lawsuit looms over the city, brought by two top free speech advocacy groups, challenging a controversial rule that prohibits public speakers from using two specific offensive words while addressing the council.

These organizations argue that by outright banning particular language, the city crosses a constitutional line, igniting a significant legal debate on whether elected bodies can declare certain speech unacceptable in a public setting.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and the First Amendment Coalition have issued an ultimatum to city officials: they have 30 days to revoke Council Rule 7 and pledge to discontinue its enforcement.

If the city fails to act, the groups plan to initiate legal action on behalf of Los Angeles resident Stacey Segarra-Bohlinger, who they claim has already been penalized twice under this contentious policy.

“The Constitution forbids the government from banning words,” FIRE said in a statement Thursday, arguing that however offensive the language may be, it remains protected by the First Amendment.

The rule, approved unanimously in a 14-0 vote on July 30, 2025, bars members of the public from using the so-called “N-word,” the “C-word” or “any variation” of either term during public comment before the City Council or its committees.

The ban goes beyond the words themselves.

It also outlaws plural forms and versions created by adding suffixes such as “-ish,” “-y,” “-ly” and “-ing.”

Anyone who violates the rule can be thrown out of the remainder of the meeting and barred from attending any other council meetings held later that day.

Repeat offenders can be banned from future meetings for up to six business days, according to FIRE.

Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson introduced the measure in March 2025, arguing repeated use of the slurs had inflamed tensions, nearly sparked physical confrontations and discouraged residents from participating in city business.

Supporters pointed to the Supreme Court’s 1942 decision in Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, which carved out the narrow “fighting words” exception to First Amendment protections.

But FIRE and the First Amendment Coalition argue Los Angeles has gone far beyond that limited exception by punishing people simply for saying forbidden words, even when they’re criticizing the city’s own censorship policy.

Their legal challenge centers on Segarra-Bohlinger, a regular speaker during public-comment periods.

According to a letter sent to Harris-Dawson and City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, Segarra-Bohlinger criticized the council’s speech restrictions during an Oct. 31, 2025, meeting by saying the council was “afraid of the word ‘c–t.’”

She then added: “Kind of insane how you’re more offended by bad words than police brutalizing citizens and journalists in the streets.”

The advocacy groups say her remarks stayed on topic, remained within her allotted speaking time and did not disrupt the meeting or interfere with council business.

Still, Councilmember Heather Hutt objected to the language and urged Council President Pro Tempore Bob Blumenfield, who was presiding over the meeting, to enforce the rule.

Blumenfield warned Segarra-Bohlinger that using the prohibited word again would get her removed.

On Dec. 3, 2025, that warning became reality.

Segarra-Bohlinger again used the word while criticizing the policy, was ejected from the meeting and barred from attending any additional council meetings scheduled that day.

In their letter, FIRE staff attorney Zachary Silver and First Amendment Coalition legal director David Loy argue the rule violates both the First Amendment and California’s Brown Act because it discriminates based on viewpoint, imposes unreasonable restrictions on public comment and allows officials to remove speakers whose remarks don’t actually disrupt meetings.

The groups are urging the city to scrap the word ban and its enforcement provisions before the dispute lands in court.

“We hope the council will take this opportunity to bring its meeting rules into compliance with the First Amendment and Brown Act without need for litigation,” the letter states.

Harris-Dawson has also suggested the current ban may only be the beginning.

“This is as much a step as we can take at this moment, we believe. But we think it will open us up to take additional steps in the future,” he said.

In another instance, he added, “We’re going to try to get in all the terms.”

According to FIRE, Harris-Dawson has also publicly stated he is “eager to get in front of a judge.”

The 15-member LA City Council consists of 10 Democrats, 4 democratic socialists, and 1 Independent, with 0 Republicans.

A chilling incident unfolded in New York City, where a man reportedly went on a stabbing spree outside a synagogue while shouting ‘Allahu Akbar,’ landing him in police custody.

Identified as 51-year-old Raul Morales, the suspect was captured on Thursday afternoon. Authorities allege he first attacked a 57-year-old, stabbing him in the torso around 1:30 PM, before targeting a 50-year-old near Central Park’s Orthodox synagogue.

The victims, one of Asian descent and the other Jewish, were rushed to Mt Sinai-St Luke’s Hospital. Fortunately, both are expected to recover, informed Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

In a dramatic turn, Morales was located in a nearby apartment building, thanks to a ‘good Samaritan’ who directed officers to his hiding spot just blocks away from the assaults.

Investigators are currently piecing together the motivation behind the attacks. Eyewitnesses recall Morales shouting ‘Allahu Akbar,’ prompting authorities to consider if hate crime charges are warranted, Tisch communicated via social media.

Mental health may have also played a factor in the attack, Tisch said, adding that investigators have not yet found a ‘link between Morales and either of the victims, nor between the victims and each other.’

As the investigation into the stabbings now continues, Mayor Zohran Mamdani asserted: ‘These hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city.’

He said he had been briefed on the incident and was ‘relieved that both victims are in stable condition’ as well as ‘grateful to the officers for their swift response.’

The attack allegedly began when Morales jumped the first victim, a 57-year-old Asian man, near West 84th Street and Central Park West and stabbed him in the back at around 1.30pm, according to the New York Post.

The second victim, a 50-year-old man wearing a yarmulke, was then attacked after leaving a synagogue at Amsterdam Avenue and West 86th Street – and was said to have been stabbed in the torso with a screwdriver.

Morales then allegedly barricaded himself inside a New York City Housing Authority apartment a few blocks away, but was arrested at around 2.45pm.

Nava Silton, who had been speaking with the second victim inside the Jewish Center ahead of the attack, described how Morales ‘tried to act like a normal person and that he wasn’t involved, and muttering “Someone should call 911,” literally pretending he was not culpable.’ 

She also said the victim told her how ‘someone drew a screwdriver into the right side of my chest.’

‘It was serious, but he’s speaking and he’s conscious,’ she told the Post, calling the victim ‘an incredible person’ who had been leaving Tisha B’av services when he was attacked. 

Marianna Ellenberg also recounted how she saw the wife of the first victim watch in horror as her husband was randomly knifed in the back. 

‘We saw her covering her mouth. She was just scared,’ Ellenberg said. ‘Like it was a surreal image because it was a bright, sunny 1.30pm, Upper West Side, Central Park West day and there was just this cry.’ 

Morris Dahan, a member of Manhattan Shomrim, a volunteer civilian watch group in Orthodox Jewish communities, also said it was ‘unbelievable’ how cops managed to pull Morales out of the apartment building.

‘He was inside of an apartment and they went in there, 50, 60 cops with dogs, canine, sledgehammers, whatever they need to break in to doors. And sure enough, 15 minutes later, they came out with him.’

Charges were not immediately filed against Morales, who allegedly suffers from mental health issues and has at least two prior arrests – both for drug possession in 1991.

He had reportedly been seen about half an hour after officers responded to the first stabbing walking erratically and shouting incoherently – including yelling the word ‘Islam.’

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

Officials from a Florida sheriff’s department have unveiled fresh identifying features of a murder suspect who remains at large, accused of killing a man whose body was discovered in a shallow grave. The suspect is believed to have possibly changed her hair and appearance as a relentless month-long pursuit continues.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office is on the hunt for 38-year-old Isabelle Johnson, linked to the murder of Jason Coulthart, 43. Coulthart’s remains were unearthed on June 25 on a Freeport property, suggesting a horrifying tale of crime and mystery.

“We’ve been searching for Isabelle Johnson for a month, and our efforts are far from over,” the agency proclaimed in a renewed plea for information from the public.

Detectives now suspect that Johnson has several unique tattoos that could help the public recognize her, regardless of attempts she might make to change her appearance.

She is believed to have a rose or flower tattoo on her left hand, beginning below the thumb and extending toward the index finger, according to the sheriff’s office. She also appears to have an unidentified tattoo on her right ankle and a large scorpion tattoo extending from her left buttock down her left thigh.

Authorities believe Johnson may have dyed and cut her hair in an effort to alter her appearance.

The sheriff’s office once again invoked the aliases Johnson is believed to use.

“Today, we’re releasing additional identifying features belonging to Isabelle, or Jessica, or Harley, or whatever name she’s going by today,” the agency wrote.

Johnson has previously been linked to several aliases, including Harley, Jessica Elaine Bowman, Jessica Elaine Thrush, Jessica Elaine Thrash, Jessica Dowdy and possibly “Denise.”

Authorities say she has ties to Walton and Okaloosa counties in Florida, parts of Georgia and lower Alabama.

Investigators have also warned that she may manipulate people into providing transportation, money or shelter by using stories involving domestic violence or other hardships.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office has described Johnson as “cunning” and a “master manipulator,” while urging anyone who may be helping her to stop.

“Every lead is pursued. Every tip is investigated. Every day brings us one step closer,” the agency wrote. “Someone knows where she is.”

Coulthart was reported missing May 24 after he was last seen leaving the College Condominiums on East College Boulevard in Niceville.

During the missing-person investigation, detectives developed information that led authorities to a property off Sunset Lane in Freeport. Investigators obtained a search warrant and found Coulthart’s body buried in a shallow grave that evening, according to the sheriff’s office.

The District 1 Medical Examiner’s Office later identified the remains through DNA testing.

Five people have since been arrested in connection with the case. Michael Ray White, Kathleen Morris, Bobbi Wagstaff, Martin Leaverton and Sandra Leaverton have been charged with accessory to a capital felony after the fact.

Authorities previously alleged that White knowingly helped Johnson evade law enforcement, while Morris admitted providing Johnson with transportation and supplies and misleading investigators about whether she had been at her home, according to local reporting.

Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson has warned that anyone still helping Johnson hide could also face charges.

“If you give her a place to stay, help her hide, or lie for her, you will face consequences,” Adkinson said previously. “This is a homicide case. We will not allow anyone to get in the way of this investigation.”

A combined reward of up to $16,000 remains available for information leading to Johnson’s arrest.

News Media reached out to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office seeking any additional updates on the investigation.

The sheriff’s office ended its latest appeal with a warning aimed at Johnson.

“She can keep running. We won’t stop looking,” the agency wrote. “We know who will get tired first.”

San Francisco has experienced a significant surge in homicides this year, a troubling anomaly amid a historic nationwide decrease in murder rates.

Notably, this iconic city, renowned for its Golden Gate views, is one of only eight large urban areas to report a rise in homicides during the initial six months of 2026, according to data from the Council on Criminal Justice.

San Francisco’s murder rate jumped by a staggering 55% in the first half of the year compared to 2025, surpassed only by Norfolk, Virginia, which experienced an even greater increase of 64%.

These alarming statistics come in stark contrast to a broader national trend; last year, the United States recorded its sharpest year-over-year decline in homicides on record, with a drop of 20% since 2024, potentially marking the lowest murder rates since the year 1900.

On average, homicide rates fell by 18% during the first six months of the year across 21 of the 30 major cities evaluated by the Washington DC-based nonprofit organization, creating a puzzling divergence for San Francisco.

San Francisco police, however, have disputed the figures — stating that there have been 16 homicides so far this year compared to 12 during the same period last year, a spokesperson told CBS News.

The majority of the 16 killings involved firearms, according to police data.

Police noted that the city ended last year with its lowest homicide rate in 70 years.

“We recognize that homicides have increased slightly this year compared to last year. Even one homicide is one too many, and the SFPD will continue to make these crimes our top priority,” a police spokesperson said.

Police data has shown so far that all other categories of crime have gone down this year, from property crimes to vehicle thefts.

Yet homicides have remained stubbornly higher in 2026, with most occurring during the first three months of the year.

The uptick has largely been seen in the SFPD’s Southern District, which includes the Embarcadero, Mission Bay and Treasure Island, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The area has recorded six homicides so far this year compared to none last year.

Police Chief Derrick Lew said at a recent meeting that new homicides are harder to tackle because they “are more one-off in nature,” unlike gang-related killings, for example.

“I’m always going to be moving toward what’s good,” declared Nicole Kidman, striking an optimistic note in March as she spoke publicly for the first time about her split from Keith Urban, 58, following the end of their marriage.

Thus, her words encapsulated the conclusion of a 19-year relationship, now irrevocably altered.

Seven months have passed since their unexpected breakup, and it appears Kidman is now moving in a positive direction.

The 59-year-old actress, known for her Australian roots, recently spent time on the picturesque Italian Riviera, accompanied by a charming companion with distinguished grey hair.

The 59-year-old Australian actress has spent the last week in the Italian riviera with a wealthy silver fox.

The two were seen sipping Aperol Spritz under the shade of poolside umbrellas at the Belmond Splendido hotel in Portofino this week, luxuriating in the afternoon heat in plain view of other hotel guests.

Exclusive photographs obtained by the Daily Mail show the grey-haired hunk, understood to be private equity businessman Michael Reinstein, giggling with Kidman before playfully lifting up her hat, which shielded her porcelain skin from the Italian sun.

Neither Kidman nor Reinstein has commented publicly on their poolside outing.

While Urban is recognizable around the world, Reinstein is a virtual unknown, blending into the background with his world-famous travel companion.

However, the pair didn’t appear concerned about being spotted together by other hotel guests.

Reinstein seemed delighted to join Kidman on the summer trip, walking behind her as they made their way back into the Portofino hotel after their aperitivos. 

A source close to Kidman tells the Daily Mail: ‘After everything she went through with Keith, she deserves to find happiness. She never thought her marriage wouldn’t work out and she tried as best as she could to keep her family intact. Her daughters are her best friends, and she seems really content in her life. She’s so easy to get along with and kind. She keeps her personal life extremely private.’

We have contacted Kidman’s representatives for comment and have yet to hear back. 

It’s a family trip to Italy for Kidman. Her daughters, Sunday, 18, and Faith, 15, who she shares with Urban, are also there.

The girls were said to have cut ties with their father briefly earlier this year before reconciling. 

Earlier this week, Kidman was pictured on a luxury yacht, celebrating her younger sister Antonia’s 55th birthday while taking in the idyllic views of the Italian Riviera.

They were joined by Antonia’s husband Craig Marran and their daughter Sybella Hawley as well as Dr Rick Abramson, a close family friend.

Just days earlier, Kidman was in London, attending a Wimbledon tennis match and mingling with Anna Wintour in the Royal Box.

Last month, reports surfaced that Kidman was rumored to be in a secret relationship.

According to celebrity gossip site DeuxMoi, Kidman was enjoying dating a ‘high-profile businessman,’ though the pair were still reportedly taking things slow at the time.

‘We’re told the relationship has been quietly developing for the past few months and the pair have been keeping things extremely low-key and largely out of the public eye,’ an insider told the gossip site.

And earlier this year, TMZ reported the Oscar winner was being romantically pursued by Paul Salem, 62, the Chairman of the Board of MGM Resorts International.

The publication reported Kidman and Paul share mutual friends, are acquaintances, and have met twice in group settings. The outlet clarified that they were not dating at the time, however.

Kidman also sparked romance rumors with fellow Aussie actor Simon Baker, 56, earlier this year, following their flirtatious promotion of their thriller series Scarpetta.

Kidman and Baker, who play a married couple in Scarpetta, were seen holding hands and beaming together at the show’s New York premiere in March.

Urban was said to be devastated by the rumored romance, given how quickly she appeared to be moving on from their separation.

‘Seeing Nicole and Simon holding hands was the equivalent of seeing his best mate with his missus, and it did a number on him,’ an insider told Woman’s Day magazine.

‘He knew it was natural for her to lean on Simon – he was also there for Naomi Watts after her split from Liev [Schreiber].’

The source added that Urban was seriously hoping that Kidman and Baker were just having fun for the cameras, as a genuine romance between them would devastate him.

The actress has been close to Baker for decades, and is also good friends with his ex-wife Rebecca Rigg, from whom he separated in 2020.

Amid all the speculation, a source insisted to Page Six that the romance claims are ‘absolutely false,’ noting the two have simply ‘known each other for years and are good friends.’ 

Kidman filed for divorce from Urban in September last year after almost two decades of marriage. Their divorce was finalized in January.

Under their settlement, Kidman retained primary custody of the couple’s daughters.

She has the girls for 306 days of the year, while Urban is allocated 59, including Thanksgiving.

Kidman was previously married to Top Gun star Tom Cruise, 64, from 1990 to 2001, with the former couple sharing adopted children Isabella, 33, and Connor, 31. 

Last year, it was initially reported that Urban had been the one to instigate the end of their marriage, leaving Kidman ‘blindsided.’

But a source told the Daily Mail in April: ‘Keith and Nicole always had an interesting marriage.

‘They both worked a ton and were gone a lot, especially Keith, so the girls didn’t spend nearly as much time with him. He was always touring.

‘Nicole always juggled a bunch of projects, but she was around them more. There wasn’t a ton of family time together, so it makes total sense that they are closer to their mother through all of this. They were never as close with their dad to begin with.’

Indeed, Sunday Rose has since publicly praised her mother.

In a March cover interview with Elle Australia magazine, she dubbed Kidman her ‘biggest inspiration in life’ and credited the actress for her burgeoning career as a model.

She added that her mother’s influence extended beyond work, gushing that Kidman was ‘a key part of everything I do.’

Kidman said of her daughters in a live speaking event in Philadelphia the following month: ‘We’re so close, the three of us, we talk about everything.’

An insider told the Daily Mail that Urban does not have a bad word to say about his ex’s tight-knit relationship with their daughters.

‘Keith has said that Nicole has been great during all of this,’ the insider said.

‘But the girls are young, they’re hurt, and they have to choose sides in their minds. So, they have chosen Mom.

‘Obviously, Keith is not a perfect man – nobody is. But whatever his issues between him and Nicole are, he still loves his daughters very much. For them to cut him out is really hurtful.’