TEMPE, AZ — A Tucson woman is taking the City of Tempe to federal court, claiming that a GIF from the TV show “Game of Thrones” she posted as political commentary led to an unconstitutional arrest, thereby costing her a six-figure job and damaging her reputation.
In a lawsuit filed against the city, Kathleen Tierney alleges Tempe violated her constitutional rights when Tempe police officers and U.S. Marshals arrested her at her Tucson home on Sept. 24, 2025.
The GIF depicted the Game of Thrones character Cersei, overlooking an explosion in the fictional city of King’s Landing. City leaders treated it as an imminent threat.
The comment, posted Aug. 28, 2025, prompted the evacuation of an estimated 75 people from the city council chambers for a building sweep, and that night’s proceedings were canceled. Tempe police and U.S. Marshals arrested Tierney about a month later.
In the complaint, Tierney states the arrest upended her life, causing what she described as “paralyzing embarrassment,” a damaged reputation, and effectively ended her career in public affairs.
“Ms. Tierney also suffered substantial emotional distress, anxiety, humiliation, and fear,” the complaint reads, stating her transport in handcuffs from the Tucson Police Department to Tempe’s counterpart was “unimaginably harrowing for someone who had never been arrested.”
Her lawsuit includes eight claims against the city, alleging constitutional and due process violations, as well as defamation.
The complaint states the city posted her mugshot online and named her approximately an hour after her release from jail on the day of the arrest.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office did not pursue charges. However, in a letter (below) to Tempe Mayor Corey Woods, Attorney Rachel Mitchell stated, “not filing charges on my part should not be taken as a failure on your part,” acknowledging “very different standards” being applied by the Tempe City Council, police, and her office.
The city said it disagreed with the decision not to prosecute and stood by the arrest for a post it viewed as a direct threat, stating officials and police handled the situation as they would with any individual.
In a July 9 statement (below), the city said it will “respond to the specific allegations in this lawsuit through the judicial process.”
