Arheel's Uncle
Senior Reporter
Remember it was the gestapo's office at the ADL; the goons who decided the OK hand gesture was a proof of White Supremacy. It's pure subjectivism.
Now, it's being used in doxing to legally ruin a person's career and life.
The Anti-Defamation League announced dozens of new additions to its database Thursday..
news.yahoo.com
Thu, January 4, 2024 at 1:44 PM MST·2 min read
An Ohio appeals court has sided with several people who called a Cincinnati police officer racist in social media posts.
The First District Court of Appeal issued its opinion Dec. 27, ruling that it was right for a lower court to dismiss Officer Ryan Olthaus's lawsuit.
Olthaus sued four people in 2020 after he was called "white supremacist kkkop" and other offensive terms on Facebook.
Two complaints were filed with the Citizen Complaint Authority against him stating he used a white supremacist hand sign − the OK symbol − at city hall while people lined up to speak about reducing the police budget.
In March, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Megan Shanahan dismissed the lawsuit. She said the posts and complaints were constitutionally protected opinions that could not be proved or disproved. Under Ohio law, defamation is a false and offensive statement of fact.
Citing prior case law, the appeals court upheld Shanahan's ruling saying however offensive an opinion may be, the remedy is not in the hands of judges but in the competition of other ideas.
Judge Megan E. Shanahan
In the opinion, written by Judge Pierre Bergeron, he said calling someone or their actions racist is obviously subjective and said Olthaus made no arguments about how he could prove or disprove the intention of his actions.
"We recognize and appreciate Officer Olthaus' point that the allegations of white supremacy were incredibly damaging to him, personally and professionally," Bergeron wrote. "Social media has the capacity to ruin lives with the click of a button, but courts do not exist to referee debates on those platforms, nor could we do so consistent with the First Amendment and the Ohio Constitution."
Cincinnati's Citizen Complaint Authority earlier this year said Olthaus violated departmental policy with the lawsuit by discouraging citizens from filing complaints.
The non-binding recommendation of the authority was sent to the city manager's office. On Thursday, the city manager's office said the recommendations of the CCA regarding Olthaus were part of a larger report that is still under review.
Olthaus' lawyers told The Enquirer there are no current plans to further appeal the case. They said they were successful in getting the initial injunction, which temporarily barred the defendants from releasing personal information about Olthaus, which was a primary goal of the lawsuit.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Appeals court: Citizens who called officer racist did not violate law
Now, it's being used in doxing to legally ruin a person's career and life.
"OK" hand sign added to list of hate symbols for white supremacy - CBS News
The "OK" hand gesture has been added to an expanding list of hate symbols used by white supremacists.The Anti-Defamation League announced dozens of new additions to its database Thursday..
The newest case of OK hand gesture and the goons.
Appeals court: Those who called Cincinnati officer racist did not violate law
An Ohio appeals court has sided with several people who called a Cincinnati police officer racist in social media posts.
Appeals court: Those who called Cincinnati officer racist did not violate law
Cameron Knight, Cincinnati EnquirerThu, January 4, 2024 at 1:44 PM MST·2 min read
An Ohio appeals court has sided with several people who called a Cincinnati police officer racist in social media posts.
The First District Court of Appeal issued its opinion Dec. 27, ruling that it was right for a lower court to dismiss Officer Ryan Olthaus's lawsuit.
Olthaus sued four people in 2020 after he was called "white supremacist kkkop" and other offensive terms on Facebook.
Two complaints were filed with the Citizen Complaint Authority against him stating he used a white supremacist hand sign − the OK symbol − at city hall while people lined up to speak about reducing the police budget.
In March, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Megan Shanahan dismissed the lawsuit. She said the posts and complaints were constitutionally protected opinions that could not be proved or disproved. Under Ohio law, defamation is a false and offensive statement of fact.
Citing prior case law, the appeals court upheld Shanahan's ruling saying however offensive an opinion may be, the remedy is not in the hands of judges but in the competition of other ideas.
Judge Megan E. Shanahan
In the opinion, written by Judge Pierre Bergeron, he said calling someone or their actions racist is obviously subjective and said Olthaus made no arguments about how he could prove or disprove the intention of his actions.
"We recognize and appreciate Officer Olthaus' point that the allegations of white supremacy were incredibly damaging to him, personally and professionally," Bergeron wrote. "Social media has the capacity to ruin lives with the click of a button, but courts do not exist to referee debates on those platforms, nor could we do so consistent with the First Amendment and the Ohio Constitution."
Cincinnati's Citizen Complaint Authority earlier this year said Olthaus violated departmental policy with the lawsuit by discouraging citizens from filing complaints.
The non-binding recommendation of the authority was sent to the city manager's office. On Thursday, the city manager's office said the recommendations of the CCA regarding Olthaus were part of a larger report that is still under review.
Olthaus' lawyers told The Enquirer there are no current plans to further appeal the case. They said they were successful in getting the initial injunction, which temporarily barred the defendants from releasing personal information about Olthaus, which was a primary goal of the lawsuit.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Appeals court: Citizens who called officer racist did not violate law