PETERSBURG, Va. (AP) - A Petersburg man is suing Petersburg for barring him from speaking at a City Council meeting.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia filed the lawsuit on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Richmond on behalf of Petersburg activist Linwood Christian.
The ACLU says Christian was barred from speaking at a City Council meeting in January because he hadn't paid a city fine.
ACLU of Virginia staff attorney Hope Amezquita says in a news release that the city can't impose unreasonable restrictions on residents' Fourth Amendment rights to speak during a government meeting's public comment portion.
A city statement given to WRIC-TV says the city doesn't comment on pending litigation.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
