Profanity-laden car known by police

COLD SPRING — Police have been advised not to interfere with free speech rights of Forest Thomer, who drives a white Ford Crown Victoria painted with curse words legible to drivers on the highway.

That doesn't stop people from complaining to police.

“We get numerous calls on it. People come into the office and call about it all the time,” Cold Spring Police Department Chief Brian Messer said.

Thomer, of Cold Spring, emblazons the car with a reference to a book he wrote and his Twitter account. Thomer was arrested in Cincinnati at a 2012 Party in the Park event after he asked people "to laugh at the crippled girl" as a way to promote the comedy of his wheelchair-using friend.

The city of Cincinnati paid Thomer $25,000 in February 2015 to settle a federal lawsuit he filed charging false arrest, violation of free speech rights and malicious prosecution.

Complaints often happen when the car is parked within view of U.S. 27 at Campbell County Public Library’s Cold Spring Branch, Messer said.

“When I first saw it I went and took a picture of it,” he said.

Messer said he sent the picture to Campbell County Attorney’s office Chief Assistant Attorney Cameron Blau seeking advice about what action to take if any.

“Basically what we’ve been told is it is freedom of speech and to leave him alone,” Messer said.

Thomer responded to interview requests in a written message.

"My car is a contemporary art piece," Thomer said.

Thomer said he's working to take the car on a cross-country free speech road trip.

Political correctness is killing art, destroying intellectual diversity and hindering conversation, he said.

"The fact so many people think that my car is illegal or should be illegal demonstrates to me that our society and culture are okay with censorship which is completely un-American and ultimately unconstitutional."