The woman who went viral for flipping off President Donald Trump’s motorcade and lost her job as a result is now hitting back.
Juli Briskman of Virginia told her employer Akima LLC that she was the woman in the photo—riding a bicycle, middle finger outstretched—after the image bounced around the Internet in October. After her admission, the company forced her to resign, claiming that she violated its social media policy.
Now Briskman has filed a lawsuit against her former employer, claiming unlawful termination. Briskman’s lawyers allege that Akima, a government contractor, forced her to resign “out of fear of unlawful retaliation by the government,” suggesting that such behavior violates “the basic tenets of Virginia employment law.” They argue that Briskman’s “expression of disapproval” of the president is protected by the First Amendment.
According to her suit, Briskman was promised four weeks of severance pay, but only received two. She is therefore seeking the other two weeks of pay and coverage of her legal fees, amounting to $2,692.30 in damages.
I criticized @realDonaldTrump, but I never thought I would lose my job b/c I live in the world's greatest Democracy. I am fighting back because no American should have to choose between their pocketbooks & their principles @GellerLawyers @protctdemocracy https://t.co/Q3CWhP7KF7
— Juli Briskman 🌞 (@julibriskman) April 4, 2018
“I am fighting back because no American should have to choose between their pocketbooks & their principles,” Briskman tweeted on Wednesday.