Flipping the bird is protected in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports , and Legal Blog Watch has picked up the story, that a Pittsburgh judge has ruled that flipping the bird is protected speech under the First Amendment. U.S. District Judge David S. Cercone made the ruling in a case involving a traffic dispute in Squirrel Hill. Apparently David Hackbart of Regent Square was trying to parallel park on Murray Ave. when another driver pulled up in front of the parking space so he couldn't back in. Hackman "angrily displayed his middle finger" to the other driver then displayed the same gesture to Officer Brian Elledge, who told Hackbart to stop.