SANTA CRUZ. (AP) — A federal jury has determined that the rights of a critic of the Santa Cruz City Council were not violated when he was ejected from a city council meeting for giving a Nazi salute.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports that jurors on Wednesday determined 8-0 that there were no violations of Robert Norse's First and Fourth Amendment rights when he was thrown out of the 2002 meeting.

Norse, who made the salute after the council stopped a woman from speaking, said it was in protest of the mayor cutting off the speaker.

But during the ten years of legal battles, the city had argued the salute was part of an organized effort to disrupt the meeting.

Santa Cruz City Attorney John Barisone says the jury's decision vindicates the city.

The jury's decision also means the city will not have to pay damages or attorney's fees to Norse.