Woman Who Flipped Off Trump Sues Employer That Fired Her

A woman who was photographed flipping off the Trump motorcade in Northern Virginia last October is suing the employer that fired her in Fairfax County. A photographer had posted a viral picture of Juli Briskman giving the finger from her bicycle as the motorcade passed on Oct 28, 2017. Briskman told her employer, Akima LLC, a government contractor in Herndon, that she was the woman in the photo, leading to her abrupt firing.

According to the Geller Law Group, the law firm representing Briskman, employees of government contractors should have the right to express their opinions without fear of losing their jobs.

“I filed this lawsuit against my former employer today because I believe that Americans should not be forced to choose between their principles and their paychecks," said Briskman in a statement. "Working for a company that does business with the federal government should provide you with greater opportunities, but it should never limit your ability to criticize that government in your private time."

Briskman was fired under the company's social media policy, but she wasn't wearing anything associated with the company, nor did she identify herself as the individual on her social media accounts. Briskman claims the company made it clear to her they were worried her opposition to Trump would hurt their ability to obtain government contracts.

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Her lawyer, Maria Simon, said firing an employee out of fear of retaliation violates Virginia employment law. "Juli’s expression of disapproval of the president is fundamental political speech protected by both the United States Constitution and Virginia state law," said Simon.

The lawsuit cites a Facebook comment supposedly posted by a senior director at the company about Black Lives Matter that read, “You’re a f—-ing Libtard —-hole." The company allegedly let the director delete the comment.

Briskman, a single mother of two, is asking for the two of four weeks of severance pay she was promised but didn't receive, attorney’s fees and interest totaling $2,692.30, according to The Washington Post.

Image via Spencer Platt/Getty Images