Local News in Brief : Activist Sues Over Signs

Hermosa Beach political activist Paul Herriott has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the city, the Police Department, a police officer and the city prosecutor, alleging his constitutional rights were violated when he was kept from displaying political signs.

Herriott received a ticket on Election Day last November for parking his car, which had five signs promoting the election of City Council candidate Roger Creighton, on Pier Avenue. City officials said that the car was in violation of the city’s sign ban against posting political signs on public property. Police confiscated the signs and several balloons.

The city dropped the charge in March.

Herriott contends in his lawsuit that he was singled out because he was in the “political minority,” and his candidate, Creighton, “was similarly disliked.” Creighton was overwhelmingly elected to the council.

Herriott said in his lawsuit, which was filed recently in U.S. District Court, that the ordinance violates both federal and state constitutions by infringing on free speech and assembly rights. Noting that this is an election year, the suit said that enforcement of the ban “creates an immediate chilling effect on free speech and voting rights.”

City Manager Kevin Northcraft said he believes Herriott is one of those people who likes to file suit to influence politics and gain media attention, but who does not really care about the outcome of the suit. Northcraft said he had not read the lawsuit.