Laura Loomer is suing Facebook for alleged defamation after the social media platform banned her on the grounds that she was a “dangerous” individual. Loomer, a self-described nationalist who has elsewhere been described as a far-right activist, provocateur and conspiracy theorist, is being represented by Larry Klayman in the $3 billion lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, when Loomer was banned by Facebook on May 2 — along with Louis Farrakhan, Alex Jones, Milo Yiannopolous, and more — Facebook said it has “always banned individuals or organizations that promote or engage in violence and hate, regardless of ideology.”
“The process for evaluating potential violators is extensive and it is what led us to our decision to remove these accounts today,” the statement continued.
The lawsuit said that Facebook’s community standards on “Dangerous Individuals and Organizations” are defined as “organizations or individuals involved in the following: Terrorist activity, Organized hate, Mass or serial murder, Human trafficking, [or] Organized violence or criminal activity.”
Loomer and her defense attorney said that she doesn’t “come close” to meeting that definition.
“Ms. Loomer does not fall, or come close to falling, within any of the defined groups set forth by Defendant Facebook,” the lawsuit said. “Ms. Loomer has never once advocated violence against any person or group of persons.”
Instead of a dangerous person, the lawsuit continued, Loomer is an “investigative journalist” who is “simply a conservative, Jewish woman who has used social media to call out anti-Semitism and violence against homosexuals, while expressing her political views and opinions.”
An example of Loomer’s social media activity that the lawsuit highlighted:
In a press release, Loomer’s attorney Larry Klayman described Loomer as “an American heroine, who puts principle ahead of her own safety and well being.”
“By calling Ms. Loomer dangerous and banning her from Facebook and its related wholly owned and controlled entity Instagram, the companies have not only maliciously defamed her but in effect issued another Intifada to harm her for criticism of Reps. Omar and Tlaib and their blatant anti-Semitism,” Klayman said. “This will not stand and Facebook will be made to pay dearly for its actions.”
Loomer is suing Facebook for defamation, defamation per se and defamation by implication. She seeks punitive damages for Facebook’s “malicious defamatory conduct” to the tune of “an amount to exceed $ 3 billion U.S. dollars,” ostensibly to deter Facebook from doing this again.
The lawsuit also seeks attorney’s fees and both preliminary and permanent injunctive relief.
Law&Crime reached out to Facebook, but Facebook declined to comment.
Laura Loomer Sues Facebook by Law&Crime on Scribd
[Image via Stephanie Keith/Getty Images]
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