A federal judge has thrown out a Kentucky teen's lawsuit accusing the Washington Post of falsely labeling him a racist during an encounter with a Native American man at the Lincoln Memorial.

Nicholas Sandmann, a student at Covington Catholic High School, sued the newspaper for $250 million in February, alleging that it had engaged in "targeting and bullying." Sandmann's attorneys had also threatened legal action against The Associated Press and other news organizations.

The actions of Sandmann and his classmates were intensely debated after video and photographs emerged of them wearing "Make America Great Again" hats near a Native American man playing a drum.

Federal judge William O. Bertelsman ruled that there may have been "erroneous" opinions published by the Post, but they are protected by the First Amendment.