A judge ordered the city of Lakeland, Tennessee, to pay a resident more than $31,000 in connection with a contentious political sign displayed in her yard. The sign read, “F— ‘EM BOTH 2024,” signaling that the resident, Julie Pereira, does not support President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump.
“I’m just trying to exercise my First Amendment rights,” Pereira said in an interview with WREG News. “It’s a political year. A lot of people are not super happy with the candidates, and we can express those in, you know, whatever way we see fit.”
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Pereira placed the sign in her yard in January. Within days, the city of Lakeland sent her a letter, asserting that the sign violated the city’s sign ordinance due to its “indecent or immoral character” that could offend public morals or decency.
Initially, the city requested that Pereira remove the sign. In response, she redacted a letter from the curse word and kept the sign in her yard. She then allowed the obscenity to be displayed, once again. Her decision sparked an exchange between Pereira and the city of Lakeland.
The city of Lakeland began imposing daily fines of $50, resulting in a total cost of $688.
Pereira filed a lawsuit, arguing that the fines violated her First Amendment right to freedom of speech. She lost the first legal battle when the judge ruled that the speech was not protected.
However, Pereira appealed the ruling, and on July 3, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Norris declared the city’s actions against her unconstitutional. As a result, Pereira can keep the un-redacted sign in her yard.
The city is also barred from taking any further action against Pereira regarding this matter. In addition to paying the fines, the city must cover her legal fees and provide her with $1 in damages.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
A CITY IN TENNESSEE IS ORDERED TO PAY A RESIDENT MORE THAN $31-THOUSAND DOLLARS OVER A CONTROVERSIAL POLITICAL SIGN IN HER YARD.
TAKE A LOOK AT JULIE PEREIRA’S SIGN.
WE HAVE TO BLUR PART OF IT – BUT THE SIGN READS “’F’ ‘EM BOTH 2024” SHOWING PEREIRA’S NOT A FAN OF EITHER PRESUMED 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: PRESIDENT BIDEN OR FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.
[JULIE PEREIRA]
“I’M JUST TRYING TO EXERCISE MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. IT’S A POLITICAL YEAR. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT SUPER HAPPY WITH THE CANDIDATES AND WE CAN EXPRESS THOSE IN, YOU KNOW WHATEVER WAY WE SEE FIT.”
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
SHE PUT THE SIGN IN HER YARD IN JANUARY AND SAID WITHIN DAYS — THE CITY OF LAKELAND, TENNESSEE SENT HER A LETTER SAYING SHE WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE CITY’S SIGN ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT INCLUDES STATEMENTS OF “INDECENT, OR IMMORAL CHARACTER WHICH WOULD OFFEND PUBLIC MORALS OR DECENCY.”
THE CITY ASKED HER TO REMOVE THE SIGN.
PEREIRA REDACTED A LETTER IN THE WORD OF THE SIGN AND KEPT IT IN HER YARD.
SHE THEN ALLOWED THE FULL CUSS WORD TO BE DISPLAYED ONCE AGAIN — WHICH STARTED A BACK-AND-FORTH BETWEEN HER AND THE CITY.
THE CITY OF LAKELAND BEGAN FINING HER $50 DAILY – WITH A TOTAL COST OF $688 IN FINES.
PEREIRA SUED THE CITY SAYING IT WAS A VIOLATION OF HER FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
IN THE FIRST LEGAL BATTLE – PEREIRA LOST.
THE JUDGE RULED THE SPEECH WAS NOT PROTECTED.
SHE APPEALED THE RULING – AND THIS WEEK FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT JUDGE MARK NORRIS RULED THE CITY’S ACTIONS AGAINST HER WERE UNCONSTITUTIONAL. PEREIRA CAN KEEP THE UNREDACTED SIGN IN HER YARD.
THE CITY IS ALSO BARRED FROM TAKING FURTHER ACTION AGAINST PEREIRA REGARDING THE MATTER.
THE CITY IS ORDERED TO PAY THE FINES AND HER LEGAL FEES – AND ONE DOLLAR IN DAMAGES.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR…
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