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Judge to decide if Nazi ‘troll storm’ is protected speech

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MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) – A Montana judge will decide whether a neo-Nazi website publisher has a First Amendment right to unleash a "troll storm" of anti-Semitic and threatening messages against a Jewish woman and her family.

Attorneys for Tanya Gersh and The Daily Stormer publisher Andrew Anglin will make their arguments Tuesday before a federal magistrate judge in Missoula.

Gersh sued Anglin last year after her family received hundreds of harassing messages from Anglin’s followers at his urging. She says Anglin invaded her privacy, caused her emotional distress and violated a Montana anti-intimidation law.

Anglin’s attorneys are asking the judge to dismiss the lawsuit because they argue Anglin was practicing protected political speech.

The judge had previously ruled against Anglin’s argument that the lawsuit should be rejected because Anglin is "not a citizen of any state."

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4/3/2018 1:06:38 AM (GMT -5:00)