Vermont Man Settles Lawsuit After Being Arrested for Giving Middle Finger

The American Civil Liberties Union announced on Wednesday that a $175,000 settlement has been reached in the lawsuit of a Vermont man, Gregory Bombard, who claimed he was arrested after giving a state police officer the middle finger.

According to the ACLU, Bombard was pulled over by a state trooper who alleged that he had made the gesture, which Bombard denied. After an argument ensued, Bombard did give the officer the middle finger, resulting in his arrest on charges of disorderly conduct.

Hillary Rich, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Vermont, emphasized the importance of protecting First Amendment rights, stating, “Police need to respect everyone’s First Amendment rights — even for things they consider offensive or insulting.”

The lawsuit, filed by the ACLU of Vermont and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), was settled with Bombard receiving $100,000 and $75,000 going towards attorneys’ fees.

Dash cam footage posted online by FIRE showed the officer accusing Bombard of the gesture, to which Bombard responded by questioning the legality of such an action. The officer eventually let Bombard go, but later decided to pull him over and arrest him for disorderly conduct.

Following the settlement, Bombard expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “With this settlement, I hope the Vermont State Police will train its troopers to avoid silencing criticism or making baseless car stops.”

The trooper involved in the incident, Jay Riggen, resigned from the Vermont State Police, and the agency had no further comment on the matter. Bombard intends to use the settlement money to pay for legal fees and treat his 88-year-old mother to a nice dinner.