Defending the Right to Bring Giant Inflatable Rats to Labor Protests

In a great decision for workers and their Unions, an Orange County appellate court overturned a conviction of a Union leader for exercising his free speech rights. He brought a 21 foot high inflatable rat to a labor protest in the City of Fountain Valley and was arrested for this. But the Court held that he had the right to engage in free speech on a public street, and that this right included the right to bring a giant rat to a labor protest.

The Court held that the City’s inflatable sign ban was overly broad and was not a constitutionally permissible time, place and manner restriction on the Union leader’s exercise of free speech. The decision marks an important victory for free speech rights of labor unions to display the inflatable rat, a well-established symbol of a labor protest, in delivering their message to the public.

Our newest associate, Adam Luetto, is proud of the role he played in winning this case.