CHICAGO, March 19 /Christian Newswire/ -- This week, Federal Judge William T. Hart of the United States District Court, North District of Illinois, is forcing the City of Chicago to answer for what plaintiffs Pastor Frank Teesdale and members of Garfield Ridge Baptist Church contend is the City's unconstitutional prohibition of their religious exercise and speech at City of Chicago Special Events.
"The City of Chicago should not be allowed to prohibit evangelism on the public streets during public events. Pastor Teesdale and his church understand that their instructions and right to tell people of the new life available through Jesus are God-given and U.S. Constitution-protected. No one needs a City of Chicago permit to tell people of Jesus's offer of forgiveness and healing," said Plaintiffs' attorney Andy Norman of Mauck & Baker.
The court also allowed Pastor Teesdale to proceed on his claim that he was falsely arrested on July 12, 2008 at the public St. Symphorosa Family Fest. It was on that day that Pastor Teesdale along with a few others from Garfield Ridge began discussing Jesus with those walking up and down the public streets. Not too long after they began sharing Jesus' message of repentance and forgiveness of sins, Chicago police officers approached them and told them they could not be there without a permit.
Knowing that they were on public streets at a public event, Pastor Teesdale referred to their rights under the First Amendment and began to key his megaphone. Before he could even speak through the megaphone it was grabbed out of his hand, and he was placed under arrest. Teesdale was arrested and charged with "criminal trespass to property" even though he was on public property. The criminal case against Pastor Teesdale was dismissed in May 2009 when the City of Chicago failed to prosecute.
"What more appropriate place than a Church-sponsored festival held on the public streets to talk to people about Jesus?" asks Pastor Teesdale.
A copy of the judge's order (case number 09 – C4046) is available at:
www.docstoc.com/docs/30245926/Frank-Teesdale-v-City-of-Chicago.
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JMC Ministries Response
In just a week we have shared with you story after story of Christians told they can't worship God in their own Homes, A child suspended from school for sharing Bible Scripture and now this story of This preacher who was at a public Christian Event on the streets of the city and was arrested for sharing the Gospel. Even after he told the Police officers that he has the right to share under the 1st Amendment of the U.S Constitution. Even after all that they still arrested him!
Fellow Christians This is not China, North Korea, Russia and other Communist/Socialist/Marxist Countries where this is happening It is happening HERE! In the United States Of America. The Most free country in the world as other countries call us. We have more laws that grant us freedoms most countries don't have. Or so it use to be. Now those who don't agree with what you say or do even though it is protected under these laws/rights are imprisoning and trying to fine people to quiet us and make us stop speaking out and voicing these rights which as our forefathers called our "God Given Rights"
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