A free speech case over a pastry shop painting goes to trial

A federal judge will decide if the New Hampshire town’s actions against a bakery mural violate free speech rights, as the owner, Sean Young, claims. The town’s zoning board classified the mural, created by students, as advertising, stating it exceeds local sign size limits by four times.

Young’s lawsuit seeks $1 in damages, arguing the town’s definition of a sign is overly broad and that no harm would come from keeping the mural up. The town defends its regulations, citing interests in aesthetics, safety, and equal enforcement.