Profane Anti-Biden, Pro-Trump Signs Can Stay, NJ Court Says

ROSELLE PARK, NJ — A Superior Court ruled Union County resident Andrea Dick can keep her pro-Trump, Anti-Biden signs, which were called "obscene" and "lewd" by town officials.

"VICTORY! The Court dismissed charges for our client who was criminalized for displaying 'F*ck Biden' signs outside her home. The town asked the Court to dismiss the case and accepted what we've been saying all along: it's your right to express dissent, even with strong language," said the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey.

Dick recruited the ACLU after she was ordered on July 15 by Roselle Park Municipal Court Judge Gary Bundy to remove the signs posted outside of her home or face $250 a day in fines. Read More: Removal Of Profane Anti-Biden, Pro-Trump Signs Ordered By Judge

Dick's signs say, "F-- Biden and F--- you for voting for him." Another says, "Joe Biden s---s." A third shows former President Trump sticking his middle finger up.

Bundy had ruled that Dick's signs contained profanity and violated a local ordinance about "Signs containing Obscene, Pornographic or Lewd Messages."

After losing her court case on the municipal level, she set up a GoFundMe fundraiser website called "legal defense fund" to keep fighting. By Wednesday, Dick's fundraiser had elicited only $7,363 out of a $10,000 goal.

Then the ACLU of New Jersey got involved.

Bundy's ruling was overturned on Tuesday by the Superior Court, according to the nytimes.com.

The battle over free speech began on June 2 when Dick received a letter dated June 2 from the borough threatening to fine her up to $500 a day for posting violating ordinance 40-3002-I.11 "Signs containing Obscene, Pornographic or Lewd Messages."

Roselle Park Mayor Joseph Signorello III told Patch at the time that the issue wasn't about politics but that the signs are a few blocks from a school. He said Dick had had political signs up before without salty language and they did not cause a problem. READ MORE: NJ Woman Fights To Keep 'Lewd' Pro-Trump Flags In School Zone

For her part, Dick told Patch that children don't pass the area with the signs.

Mayor Signorello told Patch on July 19 that he hopes Dick takes the signs down rather than appealing to Superior Court.

"No one really wants to fine her," he said. "I think the 'ask' to take the signs down is reasonable from the perspective of being a human being. Even if people on [her] political side, not that this is political, understand it's around a school."

He said that even if cursing doesn't have the impact of years ago, the terms used on the signs are "sexual in nature."

"I wouldn't want to explain to my kid what 'Biden Blows' means," he said.

— With reporting by Caren Lissner

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Don't miss local and statewide announcements. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.