Joshua Epstein was 18 when he was arrested after protesting against Surfside officials in 2024 for their policies and views on homelessness and the redevelopment of the Champlain Towers South collapse site. Now, he is suing those same officials because he says they retaliated against him and violated his First Amendment rights.
“This case is about the most fundamental constitutional protection we have as Americans: our right to criticize the government without retaliation,” said Courtney Caprio, lead counsel for Epstein, in a statement. “Public officials cannot abuse their power to punish their critics. That’s not just unconstitutional. It’s un-American.”
On Thursday, Epstein, represented by Caldera Law PLLC, filed the federal suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against: Surfside; former Mayor Shlomo Danzinger; former Vice Mayor Jeffrey Rose; former Town Manager Hector Gomez; and former Police Chief Antonio Marciante…