RICHMOND, Va. — A federal appeals court says a lawsuit filed by a man arrested after stripping to his running shorts at a Richmond airport checkpoint to protest security procedures can move forward.

In a 2-1 decision, a panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday ruled that Aaron Tobey’s claims that Transportation Security Administration officers violated his free-speech rights should proceed. A U.S. District judge had previously dismissed most of the constitutional claims raised in Tobey’s lawsuit.

The Charlottesville man was detained in December 2011 after partially disrobing to display the text of the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment on his chest. Tobey says he was protesting airport security procedures that he believes violate the amendment’s protections against unreasonable search and seizure.

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