City of Omaha to appeal judge’s dismissal of protest cases

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The city of Omaha’s top prosecutor says he will appeal a judge’s dismissal of cases against 25 protesters arrested during a demonstration opposing racial injustice last summer.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that City Prosecutor Matt Kuhse plans to appeal the dismissal, arguing that the city ordinance shot down by a Douglas County judge last week as unconstitutional is different from a similar St. Louis law earlier found to be unconstitutional.

In the Omaha case, Hendrix ruled that Omaha’s ordinance prohibiting the obstruction of a highway or street is “overly broad” and “clearly regulates protected speech.”