(The Center Square) – A Maricopa County Justice Court tossed the criminal trespassing charge from the city of Surprise after resident Rebekah Massie was thrown out of a city council meeting for allegedly violating it’s now repealed public comment policy in August.
Mayor Skip Hall had Massie removed after she criticized the decision to increase the city attorney Robert Wingo’s salary, as the two got into a debate about the constitutionality of the commenting policy and a police officer removed her.
“No branch of any federal, state, or local government in this country should ever attempt to control the content of political speech,” North Valley Justice of the Peace Gerald Williams wrote in his decision dismissing the charge.
“In this case, the government did so in a manner that was objectively outrageous,” he continued.
Massie and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression are suing the city in federal court over the viral incident, The Center Square reported. The city got rid of the legally scrutinized policy in September, which FIRE said came “too late” and the lawsuit still stands.