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Judge Orders $14 Million Payment In Neo-Nazi 'Troll Storm' Lawsuit

Tanya Gersh (R) and lawyer David Dinielli talk with reporters after a July 11, 2019 federal court hearing in Gersh's lawsuit lawsuit against neo-Nazi website publisher Andrew Anglin.
Eric Whitney
/
Montana Public Radio
Tanya Gersh (R) and lawyer David Dinielli talk with reporters after a July 11, 2019 federal court hearing in Gersh's lawsuit lawsuit against neo-Nazi website publisher Andrew Anglin.

A federal judge in Missoula says the publisher of a neo-Nazi website should have to pay over $14 million to the victim of an internet trolling campaign.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah Lynch said in his recommendation Monday that Andrew Anglin should also have to remove all posts that encourage his readers to contact real estate agent Tanya Gersh.

Lynch's recommendation must be approved by U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen to take effect.

Gersh’s Helena Attorney John Morrison said the judgement, "sends a message across the country and around the world that this kind of hateful harassment will not be tolerated here in Montana. Not in Big Sky country, not in our neck of the woods. We don’t treat each other that way, and this ruling by the United States District Court is a strong symbol of that."

Gersh sued Anglin after he posted her personal information on The Daily Stormer website in 2016, resulting in hundreds of threatening and harassing messages sent to her, her husband and son.

Anglin accused Gersh of trying to run the mother of white supremacist Richard Spencer out of the Montana resort community of Whitefish, which Gersh denies.

Anglin did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

Nicky is MTPR's Flathead-area reporter.
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