Court: City did not violate free speech rights

A lawsuit brought by Helbachs Cafe, decided by a federal appeals court, found that the city of Madison did not violate the free speech rights of the former coffee shop business, according to a Wisconsin State Journal report. The business formerly located in Middleton and Madison was cited for violating local public health orders after the shop briefly posted a sign saying “this is a mask-free zone.” The court stated the actions by the city to enforce a then-existing COVID-19 mask mandate, “were not part of a larger pattern or practice of retaliation.” The coffee shop had locations on Parmenter Street in Middleton and on D’Onofrio Drive in Madison and has since closed.