Louisiana Woman Wins The Fight To ‘Flipping The Bird’ Christmas Lights

Denham Springs, LA – Sarah Childs won the right to “flip the bird” to neighbors and passersby via her Christmas light display. The Louisiana woman sued the city after both local police and her neighbors tried to force the removal of the middle finger Christmas light display.

Designing a nasty gesture in Christmas lights is protected free speech, according to a Denham Springs judge, MSN notes. This is America, everyone has the right to behave in poor taste. Sarah Childs may have been successful during her day in court, but she may not be very invited to neighborhood barbeques anytime soon.

The last time Childs was forced to take down her middle finger Christmas lights display, they were put up again with a second hand with a protruding middle finger. Childs was reportedly used her unusual light display to send a visual message to a neighbor she was in a dispute with, according to the Associated Press. Denham Springs is located east of Baton Rouge.

After neighbors complained about the display some consider vulgar, local police officers threatened to arrest Childs. The Louisiana woman contacted the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana for assistance and filed a lawsuit against the city.

ACLU of Louisiana Executive Director Marjorie Esman had this to say after the judge’s ruling on Thursday:

“I imagine it [light display] will be back up before too long.”

Sarah Childs initially placed the light display on the roof of her home last month. She was ordered to remove them on two different occasions. The Baton Rouge area woman was also cited for singing a song in her driveway that reportedly included obscenities directed at her neighbors.

US District Judge James Brady issued a two-page order that temporarily barred Dunham Springs’ officials from preventing Childs from once again turning on the Christmas lights and flipping the bird for the entire neighborhood to view. A second hearing is scheduled on the matter early next month.