2 months ago
4
Earlier this month, a Washington State King County Superior court denied a civil protection order sought against Ari Hoffman, West Coast editor of The Post Millennial, radio host, and community advocate, ruling that his actions were constitutionally protected free speech.
The case stemmed from a series of events in late September 2024, when attorney Deserae Abed-Rabbo attended an anti-Israel music festival in Seattle’s Seward Park at which rapper Macklemore infamously yelled “F*ck America” over the nation's support for Israel. The event was a fundraiser for organizations linked to Hamas, including United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), in the heart of Seattle’s largest Jewish community.
Following the event, she posted on the neighborhood platform Nextdoor: “Dear Zionists at [location]: We had an amazing festival today in community for a free Palestine. I hope you feel good about wasting your money on private security. We do not care about you or your stuff. That’s your thing – stealing things that aren’t yours – not ours.”
She included a photo of the home flying an Israeli and American flag and mentioned its cross streets near the festival. Later that evening, the Israeli flag was stolen from the Jewish family’s flagpole.
The Jewish community reacted with concern. Hoffman, a local journalist and radio host, reposted the image after blurring out the information, along with commentary on his public social media accounts, describing her actions as “doxxing.” He also posted screenshots from Abed-Rabbo’s public Facebook and LinkedIn pages, contacted her employer (Mastercard) for comment, and filed a complaint with the Washington State Bar Association.
In response, Abed-Rabbo filed for a civil protection order, claiming Hoffman’s actions amounted to harassment, doxxing, defamation, and caused her emotional distress.
The court held that Ms. Abed-Rabbo’s post on Nextdoor was “done ‘especially as a way of getting revenge.’ Here, Ms. Abed-Rabbo refers to her neighbors as Zionists and further states ‘We do not care about you or your stuff. That’s your thing—stealing things that aren’t yours—not ours.’ In the context of the events in September 2024 the Court finds that this was intended to incite a response and reaction and criticize and condemn her neighbors. Thus, on its apparent definition of doxxing, the Court finds that Ms. Abed-Rabbo did dox and Mr. Hoffman was not creating or posting false statements.”
The Court also determined that all of Hoffman’s actions involved public content and did not meet the legal threshold for harassment. The ruling emphasized that while Ms. Abed-Rabbo may have been upset by the online response, there was no evidence that Mr. Hoffman incited threats or engaged in unlawful behavior.
The Court noted that the speech in question related to matters of public concern and advocacy and firmly stated that constitutionally protected speech cannot be the basis for a civil protection order. This decision is a significant affirmation of First Amendment rights in the digital age.
“As a member of the Jewish community and a practicing lawyer in Seattle, I am deeply troubled that Ms. Abed-Rabbo, a member of the bar, doxed a Jewish family after attending an anti-Israel protest, ultimately triggering the theft of the Israeli flag flown proudly beside an[d] American flag in their front yard,” said attorney Moshe (Jeff) Admon. "And, when called out for her shameful act, she filed a baseless civil protection petition against Ari out of spite and revenge. However, I am happy that the commissioner who heard the case asked all the right questions, engaged in a well-thought-out legal analysis of the issues presented, and ultimately made the right decision by dismissing the petition, finding that Ms. Abed-Rabbo engaged in doxxing, and upheld Ari’s Constitutional right to exercise his freedom of speech.”
“We commend Moshe (Jeff) Admon, Ari Hoffman’s attorney, for his partnership with StandWithUs Legal and exceptional pro bono representation that led to this important legal victory. We thank Ari Hoffman for his bravery in standing up to hate and harassment, for reaching out to StandWithUs for legal help, and for refusing to be silenced,” said Yael Lerman, Director of StandWithUs Saidoff Legal. “This ruling affirms the fundamental right to free speech and represents a meaningful step toward justice. We are proud to stand with Ari as the Court recognized and upheld those principles.”
Ari Hoffman said, "I am grateful to StandWithUs, my attorney Jeff Admon, and the Court for upholding the First Amendment and affirming so brilliantly the laws of Washington state. Now I can relax and enjoy my Passover."
English (US) ·