Judge: Lejeune officials violated veteran’s rights by demanding removal of anti-Islam decals

Judge: Lejeune improperly banned anti-Islam decals

RALEIGH, N.C. — A federal judge in North Carolina says Camp Lejeune officials violated the rights of a military veteran who came to a job on base with anti-Islamic decals on his vehicle.

Jesse Nieto’s decals included one that said “ISLAM (equals) TERRORISM” and another with a threat to defecate on the Quran. He also had a decal commemorating the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, in which 17 crew members died, including Nieto’s youngest son.

U.S. District Judge Malcolm J. Howard says a regulation targeting inflammatory speech on base was improperly applied to Nieto’s decals and not to pro-Islamic messages that may be just as incendiary. Howard concluded the application of the rule violated Nieto’s free speech.

Nieto did not seek monetary damages.