Women sue Beech Grove after city blocked Facebook activity

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana has filed a lawsuit on behalf of two women against the city of Beech Grove after the city removed comments the two women wrote on Facebook posts the city and police department had made. Beech Grove ultimately blocked the women from “liking” and commenting on their posts.

Kymberly Quick and Deborah Mays-Miller are residents of Beech Grove and members of the Beech Grove Crime Watch. According to the lawsuit, Quick and Mays-Miller note at least two times comments critical of the city and police department they wrote on Facebook posts were taken down, and they know similar people who have had their critical comments taken down as well.

Eventually they were blocked by both the city and police department from commenting or interacting with the posts on the Facebook pages.

The ACLU claims in the lawsuit that the blocking and deleting of the women’s comments and other people’s comments violates their First Amendment rights. The women are asking for a preliminary and permanent injunction to enjoin the city from stopping the women from posting on the Facebook pages and award the women their attorney fees and costs.

The case, Kymberly Quick and Deborah Mays-Miller v. City of Beech Grove, 1:16-cv-1706, was filed in federal court in Indianapolis.