An Iowa man threatened by city officials with legal action for saying on a website that his hometown smelled like "rancid dog food" has won a free-speech lawsuit when a US judge prohibited the city from further threats and awarded him damages.
Josh Harms, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, filed suit in US District Court earlier this month asking a judge to block Sibley officials from suing him.
City officials said they would sue if he didn't stop criticising the town's odour problem from Iowa Drying and Processing, which makes a high-protein animal food supplement from pig blood.
Judge Leonard Strand approved on Thursday a permanent injunction agreed to by the city and Harms.
Attorneys for the city did not immediately respond to messages. Court documents indicate while city officials "do not admit to every allegation in the plaintiff's complaint, the parties jointly stipulate to the facts contained in the accompanying proposed stipulated injunction."
The injunction prohibits the city from making further threats. It allows Harms to talk to reporters and continue to publish websites critical of the city odoir issue.
The city also agreed to pay Harms' damages and legal fees, issue a written apology and hold First Amendment training for city staff.
Harms, 28, said he hopes to use his skills as a web developer to improve the lives of Sibley residents by calling attention to the community's problems.
Sibley is a town of 2600 people about 380km northwest of Des Moines.
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