In a complaint filed Feb. 3 in Washington County Civil Court, St. Albans resident Gregory Bombard is suing the State of Vermont for what played out nearly three years earlier.
He’s demanding a jury trial and seeking compensatory damages, and a declaration that the actions of the trooper in February 2018 were illegal, among other requests.
Those actions are said to have included a pair of wrongly-administered motor vehicle stops, subsequent arrest, and the towing of Bombard’s vehicle. The traffic stops were due to a perception by the trooper that the driver was directing their middle finger towards him in an obscene manner and audible curse words directed towards the trooper at the conclusion of the first stop, according to the complaint.
“Vermonters who want to protest the actions of police through words or gestures have a constitutionally protected right to do so,” Bombard’s lawyer, ACLU attorney James Diaz, said in a press release, the Messenger said.
“This abuse of power by a Vermont state trooper is a clear example of just how overpoliced our communities are,” Diaz said. “Cased like these are part of why so many are calling on lawmakers to take bold action to limit the broad powers of police.”
According to the complaint, Bombard denied he gave the trooper the middle finger before he was pulled over — but did do so after the traffic stop.
He also mouthed off at the trooper, “saying something to the effect of ‘a–hole’ and ‘f–k you,'” the complaint said.
Riggen cited Bombard for disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic, towed his vehicle, and held him at the local stationhouse for about an hour, the complaint said.
Both charges were later dismissed, according to the Eagle Times newspaper.
But Bombard didn’t let it go, and last week filed the civil lawsuit, claiming false arrest, illegal seizure, and violations of his right to free speech.
https://nypost.com/2021/02/10/vermont-man-suing-police-over-the-right-to-flip-off-cops/
this shit pisses me off. Police are only paid to enforce laws, that's why they get the name "law enforcement" and none of these moron badge bullies made it through the requirements to be law enforcement without learning that citizens of the united states have a fucking right to free speech, not limited to audible, but also speech by clothing graphics and burning the American flag.
So for all the assholes on the force, get a fucking grip, grow the hell up, and act professional in situations where you ain't got a damn reason to let your berserker rage take over. Act like you wear the damn uniform and badge like you're getting paid to find drug dealers, sex traffickers, and other shit like that. Ignore the mickey mouse crap, and stay out of the damn court system.
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