Judge Dismisses Lawsuit of Woman Injured at Berkeley Protest of Yiannopoulos Event
“The First Amendment does not require Berkeley to protect Robles against the actions of others.”
She was there to hear the speech and alleged that she was pepper sprayed by a protester. The judge ruled that Berkeley wasn’t responsible.
FOX News reports:
Judge tosses $23M lawsuit linked to Berkeley protest vs. Milo Yiannopoulos
A federal judge on Friday dismissed most claims in a $23 million lawsuit brought by a woman who said she was pepper-sprayed last year during a violent protest at the University of California at Berkeley that lead to the cancellation of a speaking event with Milo Yiannopoulos.
Oakland resident Kiara Robles sued the city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley, and college officials in June 2017, claiming her free speech rights had been violated when a protester tried to prevent her from attending the Yiannopoulos talk in February, Courthouse News reported.
In a 23-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken dismissed Robles’ claims, writing: “Robles does not allege any facts showing that Berkeley took any affirmative acts to burden or infringe upon Robles’ First Amendment Rights. The First Amendment does not require Berkeley to protect Robles against the actions of others.”
The judge dismissed Robles’ claims against UC President Janet Napolitano, UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, and Antifa, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Yiannopoulos’ scheduled talk on the UC Berkeley campus on Feb. 1, 2017, stirred up violent protests from the far-left, which ultimately led to the event’s cancellation. Robles said she was pepper-sprayed during an interview with a television station on the school’s premises.
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Comments
Only in Cali
Once again a judge has ruled that the police have no duty to protect citizens.
They don’t. So why would you expect a judge to hold anything else? When has any court, anywhere, ever held otherwise?
Classic heckler’s veto. Implicates both Free Speech and Equal Protection rights. I hope she appeals.
On what grounds? Why do you think Berkeley is responsible for someone else’s crime?
Morally at least – yes.
If you are a business and deliberately turn a blind eye to sexual harassment, or hostile work environment, prepare to be sued. Successfully.
If you are a business (as a university IS) and deliberately turn a blind eye to “peaceful demonstrations” that include assault (mace qualifies) and other violent acts, how is that different?
It’s bad enuf that portions of the public are buying into the whole “your speech is violence, but my violence is speech” meme, we don’t need universities and the courts also joining in the insanity.