Biden critic NJ woman wins right to display vulgar sign outside her house

Roselle Park resident Andrea Dick says she feels glad that it’s over

File: Joe Biden delivers remarks as he visits the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in McLean, Virginia on 27 July 2021 (REUTERS)

A court on Tuesday ruled that a New Jersey woman can display banners that contain obscene language bashing president Joe Biden on a fence outside her house.

Andrea Dick, a Roselle Park resident, was represented by American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey. A municipal judge had earlier this month ordered Ms Dick and her mother, who owns the house, to remove the banners or face $250 a day in fines.

The court decision on Tuesday came after the town of Roselle Park agreed to take back their demand that Ms Dick remove the signs that contain a vulgar word, according to Forbes.

ACLU-NJ hailed the court order dismissing the case.

Its executive director Amol Sinha said: “This type of policing and silencing of speech has historically disproportionately impacted marginalised New Jerseyans and cannot go unchecked. Today’s decision is a victory for our client and for all New Jerseyans who have the right to express themselves freely under the First Amendment.”

Roselle Park acted against Ms Dick after residents complained that their children could see the vulgar language on the sign. Officials issued her a summons when she refused to take down the banners.

While Roselle Park stood by the summons, the borough attorney Jarrid H Kantor told The New York Times that “the borough feels that the continued attention garnered by the inappropriate display and the escalating costs to the taxpayers” causes more harm to the borough.

Expressing relief, Ms Dick said she’s glad it’s over. A supporter of former president Donald Trump, she told The New York Times that she got angry calls and hate mails as the case made national headlines.

"I don't know what I am. I'm numb, I'm happy, I'm beyond. Oh my God, I'm so happy,” she separately told New Jersey 101.5 in an interview.