The Washington Redskins are now suing Native Americans

(Image credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

Not content to boast a name widely considered to be racist toward Native Americans, the Washington Redskins are now suing a group of five Native Americans after they successfully brought a petition against the team demanding a name change.

From Talking Points Memo:

The five won a victory earlier this year when a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office board ruled that six trademark registrations on the team's name should be canceled because they were "disparaging to Native Americans" when registered. The board acted after the group of Native Americans petitioned it to cancel the trademark registrations.

After the board's action, the team in August sued the five Native Americans, asking a federal court to stop the cancellation from happening. [Talking Points Memo]

The Native Americans say the team's real beef should be with the patent office, but the team disagrees, citing the fact that the five individuals filed the petition in the first place.