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4d ago

Seattle Resident Sues Blue Angels Over Cat’s Death and Censorship

The lawsuit seeks to restore her Instagram access by banning viewpoint-based blocking on the Blue Angels’ official account.

Layla.
Main: The Blue Angels conduct their practice performance for their annual show and flight performance during Commissioning Week at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland on May 20, 2025. Inset: Layla, the cat
The Blue Angels fly in the familiar “Diamond” formation in a scene from “The Blue Angels.” (Courtesy of Amazon Content Services)
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Overview

  • On July 21, 2025, Lauren Ann Lombardi filed a federal suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington naming three Navy officers for their roles in the Blue Angels’ social media operations.
  • Lombardi alleges that low-altitude flyovers during Seattle’s Seafair weekends in August 2023 and 2024 triggered panic attacks and heart-rate spikes in her elderly cat, Layla, leading to the pet’s euthanasia in August 2024.
  • She claims the Blue Angels’ official Instagram account blocked her on August 5, 2024, suppressing her criticism and violating her First Amendment rights.
  • Her complaint requests orders to unblock her account, prohibit viewpoint-based blocking by the squadron’s social media team, mandate First Amendment training for staff and award her legal fees.
  • The lawsuit cites University of Washington research on harmful noise exposure for over 74,000 Puget Sound residents and endangered orcas, and it remains pending as the Blue Angels prepare early August flyovers in Seattle.