A landmark Salina restaurant files a First Amendment lawsuit against the city of Salina.

 On Monday, Steve Howard, the owner of the iconic burger joint, The Cozy Inn, filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Salina, Kansas, after city officials told Mr. Howard he had to stop painting a mural on the side of his building. Howard had hired a local artist to paint a mural featuring burger-like flying saucers attacking the Cozy with laser blasts of ketchup and mustard.

But, because the cozy sells hamburgers, city officials considered his mural to be a regulated sign instead of unregulated artwork in violation of city code and ordered howard to halt work on the half-finished mural.

Mr. Howard and The Cozy partnered with Kansas Justice Institute to file the lawsuit. The lawsuit does not seek money from the City of Salina. Instead, the lawsuit argues that the City of Salina’s restrictions on murals violate the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment.