Court upholds Calif. city council's removal of man from public meeting after Nazi salute

Associated Press

Last update: November 6, 2009 - 11:52 PM

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - A federal appeals court has ruled that Santa Cruz City Council members did not violate a man's rights when they ordered him removed from a council meeting after he made a one-armed Nazi salute.

Robert Norse was arrested at the March 2002 meeting after he made the gesture and refused to leave. He was arrested again in 2004 when he refused another order from the city council to leave after parading around council chambers.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled this week that the council was justified in asking Norse to leave both meetings because he was disruptive. The court said Norse's right to freedom of speech was not violated.

Norse sued the city after his first ejection in 2002. He says his attorney will consider appealing the decision to the Supreme Court.

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Information from: Santa Cruz Sentinel, http://www.santacruzsentinel.com

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