Judge: RI Woman's Free Speech Rights Violated By Leafleting Crackdown

She offended the mayor

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—A federal judge has ruled city police violated a city woman's free speech rights in 2010 when they prevented her from handling out leaflets at then-Mayor David Cicilline's state of the city address, the Rhode Island affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union said.

The suit was brought by the ACLU on behalf of resident Judith Reilly. Judge William Smith dismissed the city's claim that Reilly was moved for safety when she tried to leaflet Cicilline's Feb. 2, 2010 speech.