Los Angeles-based art protest group LA Raw will be staging a Funeral Procession for Freedom of Expression on Thursday, January 20, 2011 (11:00 AM) at the Biltmore Hotel (506 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90071) — more info at the Facebook event.

The event will coincide with the visit of Smithsonian secretary Wayne Clough, who will speak at the Biltmore the same day at noon as part of Town Hall Los Angeles public issues series.

Artists and activists, along with supporters of free speech and free expression, will gather at 11 am with props and posters to protest the escalation of art censorship. Clough was responsible for the recently removal of David Wojnarowicz’s “A Fire in My Belly” (1987) from a critically acclaimed exhibition about gay-themed portraiture at the National Portrait Gallery, Hide/Seek.

Related: Tyler Green has the latest Clough email to his staff, looks like he’s defending his decision.

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Hrag Vartanian

Hrag Vartanian is editor-in-chief and co-founder of Hyperallergic. You can follow him at @hragv.