The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the city of Providence for allegedly violating the free speech rights of protesters when police ordered them to move further and further away from a fundraiser for Gov.-elect Gina Raimondo during her gubernatorial campaign.

The lawsuit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Providence over the department's actions during a September 2013 fundraiser held at the Casino at Roger Williams Park. The ACLU says the case is especially egregious because it happened six months after a judge found Providence police had violated a woman's free speech rights in a similar case.

A Providence police spokeswoman said Monday the department had no immediate comment.

The lawsuit says police repeatedly ordered protesters further away from the building, eventually to 285 feet from the entrance.