A Tennessee woman, Julie Pereira, whose provocative political yard sign led to her being fined hundreds of dollars, won about $32,000 after filing a First Amendment lawsuit against her city.
Earlier this year, Pereira displayed a sign in her front yard that read, “Fuck ‘Em Both 2024.” Shortly after, neighbors complained, and a code enforcement officer from the Memphis suburb of Lakeland fined Pereira for violating a city ordinance against obscene signs.
Although she briefly censored her sign, Pereira filed a lawsuit last month. On Wednesday, lawyers for both sides sought approval for a settlement that declared the city’s actions unconstitutional and allocated $31,000 for Pereira’s legal fees, plus several hundred dollars for damages and costs.
“Being able to tell politicians to fuck themselves is a sacred American right,” Daniel A. Horwitz, one of Pereira’s lawyers, said in an email to Business Insider. “We are proud to have protected Mrs. Pereira’s right to express her political views and to have achieved a successful outcome in this important First Amendment case.”
In her lawsuit, Pereira stated her dissatisfaction with both main candidates, President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, in the upcoming November election. This wasn’t her first clash with city officials. Local news station ABC24 reported in May that Pereira had also successfully sued the city after it cited her for a Christmas decoration that used foul language, referencing the 1989 comedy film “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
When Pereira initially contested the violation over her “Fuck ‘Em Both” sign, the judge noted that it wasn’t clear “both” referred to Biden and Trump, according to a transcript. A code enforcement officer mentioned that at least 10 neighbors had complained, including one who claimed they wouldn’t have bought a home in the area if Pereira’s sign had been displayed.
The judge also referenced Pereira’s previous dispute with the city and warned that jail time was a possibility.
“I will warn you, I don’t want to see you back in here,” the judge said.
“Your Honor, I do not want to see the City of Lakeland continue to violate my First Amendment rights,” Pereira replied.
City officials did not respond to an email sent on July 4, a US holiday.