(The Center Square) – Four Eastpointe residents won a payout and enacted a new city holiday celebrating free speech after former Mayor Monique Owens shouted them down during city council meetings

In November 2022, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression sued Owens and the city on behalf of Mary Hall-Rayford, Karen Beltz, Karen Mouradjian and Cindy Federle to defend their right, and the right of all Americans, to criticize elected officials.

Owens repeatedly shouted down constituents who criticized her during the public comment period of city council meetings.

On Tuesday, the city of Eastpointe agreed to concessions that will vindicate the plaintiffs’ rights and create an annual celebration of the right to free speech in southeast Michigan.

Eastpointe agreed to the following terms to settle the lawsuit:

Entered into a consent decree prohibiting the city from enforcing an unconstitutional limitation on public comments “directed at” an elected official and requiring it to allow members of the public to criticize its elected officials.Passed a resolution apologizing to the plaintiffs.Established Sept. 6 as an annual “First Amendment Day” in Eastpointe.Paid each plaintiff $17,910 — a sum representing the year of the First Amendment’s ratification (1791) — plus attorneys’ fees, for a total of $83,000.

Hall-Rayford welcomed the agreement.

“I am pleased with FIRE’s diligence and ability to keep moving forward,” Hall-Rayford said in a statement. “I hope the city will do the same, now that everyone is aware of the consequences for violating the First Amendment. I applaud FIRE’s efforts to keep up the good fight with others, as they did for me.”

Owens was elected mayor of Eastpointe, a suburb of Detroit, in 2019, but lost her reelection bid last year and was sentenced to probation for COVID loan fraud.

On Sept. 6, 2022, a video shows Owens shouting down Hall-Rayford, Beltz, and Mouradjian when they tried to criticize her during the public comment portion of city council meetings.

When Mouradjian, an animal rights activist, stood up for the right of Hall-Rayford and Beltz to have their voices heard, Owens yelled that Mouradjian “could talk about your cats and dogs” but “won’t talk about me.”

In March 2022, Owens forced Federle to halt her critical remarks and told her to remove references to Owens. But Owens had no issue with other residents praising her as “beautiful” and “wonderful” in prior meetings.

“The First Amendment protects every American’s right to criticize government officials,” FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick said in a statement. “With this settlement, Eastpointers can have confidence their voices will be heard and local governments can be left with no doubt there are serious consequences for violating the First Amendment.”