DENVER (CN) - A man cited for projecting "stop ICE murders" on the Colorado Supreme Court is suing members of the city police department and Colorado State Patrol claiming violations of his right to free speech and petition.

On Jan. 31, officers seized Trevor Ycas' projector and cited him for violating a city advertising ordinance after he flashed political slogans on the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center in Denver during a demonstration. The messages included "stop ICE murders," "de-ICE Colorado," and "abolish ICE."

"Mr. Ycas' projection was core political speech at a traditional public forum on a matter of significant public concern. And, the ordinance defendants chose to weaponize against him, by its plain text, had nothing to do with political projection at all," Ycas wrote in the 15-page complaint filed in the Denver County District Court Monday night.

Ycas argues his messages were obviously political and did not violate local regulations on using spotlights in advertising.

The ordinance police used to cite Ycas makes it "unlawful for any person to utilize any search light, spotlight or klieg light for advertising or display purposes or for purposes of attracting attention to particular premises or a particular business upon public property or the beam or beams therefrom out of doors, except at an angle of not less than forty-five (45) degrees from the horizontal and then only in such manner as will not interfere with traffic or annoy persons in nearby buildings."

The Denver City Attorney's office filed to dismiss the charges on March 27.

According to Ycas, officers seized his projector without a warrant at the protest and have not returned it. Without the projector, he says he can't resume his political messages.

"The Denver Police Department had no business seizing Trevor Ycas' projector, and they certainly have no business holding it hostage now," said civil rights attorney Andy McNulty of Newman McNulty in Denver.

"If the Denver Police Department can seize a projector because they don't like the political message on it, they can seize a printing press, a microphone, a phone, a camera," McNulty said by email.

The Denver Police Department and the Colorado State Patrol did not immediately respond to inquiries.

The case has been assigned to Second Judicial District Judge Andrew McCallin, an appointee of former Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper.

Source: Courthouse News Service