JANE FONDA REVIVES RED SCARE-ERA PANEL TO DEFEND FREE SPEECH. (PHOTO).

 Jane Fonda revives Red Scare-era panel to defend free speech

Jane Fonda, along with a group of Hollywood actors, directors, writers, and producers, relaunched the post-World War II Committee for the First Amendment to defend free speech against what they see as political suppression under the Trump administration.

The original committee, formed in 1947 by figures such as Gene Kelly, Humphrey Bogart, and Lauren Bacall, opposed the Red Scare-era persecution of left-leaning individuals in Hollywood during the late 1940s and 1950s. In a statement on Wednesday, the new committee said it was reviving the group in response to what it described as a modern campaign to silence critics across government, media, academia, and the entertainment industry. “We refuse to stand by and let that happen. Free speech and free expression are the inalienable rights of every American of all backgrounds and political beliefs — no matter how liberal or conservative you may be,” the statement read.

The committee cited recent executive actions and investigations by the Trump administration, including measures on immigration, transgender rights, and directives pressuring universities, as evidence of this suppression. They also referenced concerns following the September shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which critics say has been linked to calls for crackdowns on political opponents. Jane Fonda said the response from the entertainment industry has been overwhelming, with “hundreds and hundreds of people” reaching out to join the effort. She emphasized that artists and creatives view freedom of expression as essential to their work and felt a responsibility to act. The White House responded by defending Trump as a supporter of free speech, dismissing the committee’s claims as “false” and framing the focus on left-wing groups as addressing threats to public safety.