Courthouse News reports:
A Hawaii resident claiming the state infringed on his right to free speech after recalling a personalized license plate bearing the letters “FCKBLM” asked the Ninth Circuit on Thursday to consider whether license plates are truly representative of government speech or if it becomes messaging merely associated with a private citizen. According to the initial complaint, Edward Odquina had applied for a vanity license plate reading “FCKBLM” in early 2021, in reference to Black Lives Matter.
The city had flagged the plate for its “publicly objectionable” message, and Odquina explained to City Hall staff that the letters were an acronym for his business, and despite the noted profanity, it was eventually approved and given to Odquina. Odquina registered a business called Film Consulting KravMAGA Bloomberg, LLC after the complaint was filed, and also owns the website www.fckblm.org, where the letters reportedly stand for “Fight Communism and Knucklehead Bitch Liberal Marxists.”
Read the full article.
Ninth Circuit hears challenge to recall of offensive license platehttps://t.co/IZpuRuO5C1
— Courthouse News (@CourthouseNews) June 9, 2023
The FCKBLM ? license plate guy is apparently a Kaiser grad who spent time as an MMA fighter in MA where he was convicted of felonious assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in 1998. He’s also an Oath-Keeper (!) and a… Space Force trainer? He likes to wear a civil war hat. pic.twitter.com/Mtq2bW15Lk
— Will Caron (judges arc) (@willcaronforHI) September 5, 2022
Racism on Hawaii roads: Nearly a year after this “FCKBLM” license plate was recalled after our initial story, the owner is still refusing to surrender the plates after multiple warnings, and registration is now expired @KITV4 #BlackLivesMatter #BLM >> https://t.co/s1y5vgDhQy pic.twitter.com/9ZmxSOFtFh
— Tom George (@TheTomGeorge) June 3, 2022
Hey, the person with the FCKBLM plate is driving around Hawai`i Kai with a Jason mask on and Trump 2024 signs. @hpdmediaalert isnʻt he supposed to have returned that plate? He is bullying folks in that area right now. 🙁
— cbhula (@EAducator) August 14, 2021
Hawaii MAGA supporter sues state for right to keep FCKBLM license plate | Daily Mail Online https://t.co/7oRQsftsM5
— Headly Westerfield (@Aunty__Em) January 7, 2023