UNC student Haley Koch, charged with disorderly conduct nine days after protesting the Tom Tancredo speech this past spring, has had the charges against her dismissed.

Although Koch’s arrest was said to be a violation of the first amendment by her supporters, her attorney Bob Ekstrand says the constitutional amendment did not influence Chief District Court Judge Joe Buckner’s decision to dismiss the motion.

Koch had pleaded not guilty to disturbing the peace an educational institution after protesting an April 14th speech by former U.S. Congressman Tom Tancredo. Tancredo was invited by the student group Youth for Western Civilization.

While Assistant District Attorney Jeff Nieman argued that Koch had disrupted an educational institution event which prevented the free speech of those supporting the views of Tancredo. Koch’s attorney argued that once she was asked to leave, she did so promptly and cooperatively.

Both Nieman and Ekstrand used the viewing of a YouTube video clip to support their arguments. Koch had been linked to the Tancredo’s protest through a YouTube video of a prior protest. She was the only UNC student to be charged in the incident.

Koch says she feels good about the Judge’s decision, and the outcome solidified her decision to not represent herself, as she originally planned.

Koch says this experience would not deter her from participating in future protests.