A federal judge has ruled that Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee and two of his top aides violated a Providence city councilor’s free speech rights when they terminated his employment over comments related to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The decision came from U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. on Wednesday in favor of Miguel Sanchez, a city councilor and staffer in the governor’s office at the time of the controversy.

Sanchez, who is expected to become Providence city council president in January, filed the lawsuit against McKee and his aides Tony Afonso and Joseph Almond after being dismissed for expressing pro-Palestinian views on social media and attending a related rally. Following the Hamas attack on Israel, Sanchez posted on X (formerly Twitter) accusing the United States of “actively aiding in a genocide” and later disclosed that he had participated in a pro-Palestinian demonstration at the Rhode Island State House.

The rally, held on October 21, included chants such as “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” occurring in the interval between Israeli retaliatory airstrikes and a subsequent ground offensive in Gaza. Judge McConnell emphasized there was no evidence that Sanchez personally endorsed the rally’s chants or advocated violence.

The judge also noted Sanchez’s role in the governor’s office was limited and non-policymaking—focused mainly on constituent services like answering phones—and that he did not identify as a McKee employee in his social media profiles. McConnell concluded that the public was unlikely to associate Sanchez’s statements with official government positions, underscoring that the First Amendment protects public employees’ rights to speak on matters of public concern.

Sanchez’s job paid around $50,000 annually. Since his dismissal, he has been employed by the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. He remains an elected representative for Ward Six on the Providence City Council. Known for his progressive stance, Sanchez has played a prominent role in local debates surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, often wearing a keffiyeh at council meetings and advocating for Palestinian causes.

Last year, Sanchez was part of a contentious campaign to raise the Palestinian flag at city hall and has supported a divisive city ballot measure that aims to divest municipal funds from Israel and companies linked to it. The initiative has split local Democratic leaders, with Governor candidate Helena Foulkes opposing it and Providence mayoral candidate David Morales endorsing it.

While a trial has yet to determine potential damages, the court’s ruling affirms the constitutional protections afforded to Sanchez as a public employee engaging in political speech outside official duties.