Tony Barilla’s accordion represents the culmination of his skill, art, and entrepreneurship. In addition to playing in a three-accordion cover band, he writes, composes, and produces music for theater, short films, dance, and radio. He regularly writes and records music for the nationally syndicated NPR podcast, This American Life.
Although Tony is already an accomplished accordionist, he seeks opportunities to busk on the streets of his home, Houston, Texas. Busking is an important feature of urban life, and for Tony it is a way of earning some extra cash while refining his musical artistry and performance ability.
Although Houston allows street performances throughout the city, accepting tips while performing was outlawed everywhere except the city’s very small Theater District. Houston is 665 square miles, and the Theater District covers a mere eight blocks. And even so confined, performers had to nonetheless complete a burdensome permit process in order to legally play for tips. Permit approval even required written permission from property owners adjacent to the site where performers intended to play—a so-called “heckler’s veto”—which is often difficult to obtain.
Under the First Amendment, however, the government cannot restrict Tony’s freedom of expression by eliminating his financial incentive to perform. Nor can the government restrict speech based on content—that is, people can’t use the government to shut down speech on public property that they simply don’t like.
Tony wrote about Houston’s busking ban and permit requirements in the Houston Press.
Represented by PLF free of charge, he won a federal lawsuit against Houston’s unlawful government squeeze on his free expression and his livelihood.
What’s At Stake?
- People have a right to earn a living through freedom of expression. The government cannot restrict this right based on the speech’s content.
- Speech that is motivated by money is just as protected by the Constitution as any other kind of speech.
