A US citizen in Texas was arrested for giving the middle finger to a police officer. He was later released, but the disorderly conduct charge against him was not dismissed until the next morning.
The man, who has not been identified, filed a lawsuit against the police officer, Britney Lane. The lawsuit alleged that Lane violated the man’s First Amendment right to free speech by arresting him for a harmless gesture.
The case was recently settled for nearly $100,000.
This is just one of many cases in recent years where people have been arrested for giving the middle finger to police officers. In most cases, the charges have been dismissed, but the arrests have raised concerns about police overreach and the First Amendment.
In this particular case, the man’s arrest was even more egregious because he was already known to Officer Lane. He had never met her, but she knew his name. This suggests that Lane may have been targeting him for reasons other than the middle finger gesture.
The settlement in this case is a victory for free speech and a reminder that US police officers cannot arrest people for simply expressing themselves.