Posted on 10/15/2005 12:45:55 PM PDT by 4lifeandliberty
PHILADELPHIA - The law firm of Shields & Hoppe, LLP has filed a lawsuit against the City of Philadelphia and others on behalf of the eleven members of Repent America, who were arrested as a result of their efforts to minister the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ at a homosexual event called "OutFest", which was held in the public streets of Philadelphia on October 10, 2004. The six men and five women were charged with three felonies, which included the "hate crime" of ethnic intimidation, along with conspiracy, incitement to riot, in addition to five misdemeanor charges. The Christians spent 21 hours in jail, faced up to 47 years in prison, and $90,000 in fines each.
"We believe this is the first case in the United States where someone was charged with a hate crime for ministering the Gospel in public," stated Ted Hoppe, attorney for the Philadelphia Eleven. "This case not only involves an effort to suppress the Christian viewpoint and to keep that viewpoint from being expressed in the public square, it also demonstrates a complete lack of regard by the City of Philadelphia for the basic right to free speech and free exercise of religion," Hoppe continued.
The criminal charges were ultimately dismissed after a hearing where a judge reviewed a videotape of the event and found that there was not one iota of evidence that Repent America had done anything wrong.
"Outfest" is an annual event held in Philadelphia. It is held within a fifteen block public area of the City and is funded, at least in part, with taxpayer funds totaling approximately $22,500, not including the logistic support such as police and clean up after the event. When Repent America arrived at the event, they were immediately surrounded by a militant mob of homosexuals called the "Pink Angels" so they could not move. The group held up large, pink styrofoam boards to block the group; they also blew whistles so that the Christians could not be heard.
At the preliminary hearing, Chief Inspector James Tiano, from the Philadelphia Police Department's Civil Affairs Unit, testified that police met with the "OutFest" organizers 3 or 4 times before the event and discussed, among other things, tactics to prevent Repent America from having access to the event. "Chief Inspector Tiano's comments seem to make it clear that the City conspired with the organizers of 'OutFest' to ensure that Repent America would not have access to the event to exercise their protected rights under both our state and federal Constitutions," Hoppe concluded.
"The City’s action at the Outfest event demonstrated a clear hostility toward Repent America and the content of their message," Hoppe stated. "Through this lawsuit, we hope to send a message to the City of Philadelphia, its police force, as well as Philly Pride Presents, that they do not have the right to interfere with Repent America's constitutionally protected rights to free speech and free exercise of religion simply because they do not agree with the content of their message," Hoppe concluded.
Aren't the Pink Angels arguably liable for criminal charges of false imprisonment and kidnapping?
It ain't just Philadelphia.......
They are taking 'Brotherly Love' to a new extreme. What a gross city.
Yeah I agree. They should really go after these militant groups, and then the government.
So a broader question:
Why do the leftist activists keep picking such wimpy names for their groups? The "Pink Angels", "Code Pink", "ELF," ...
They have me quaking in my boots!
Plus they are giving the color pink a bad name...
Preach the Gospel......go to jail, and pay fine.
Kidnapping, and/or false imprisonment......
These Christians need a pit bull lawyer who will go after the city and the militant homo group.
Preach the Gospel......go to jail, and pay fine.
Kidnapping, and/or false imprisonment......no problem.
These Christians need a pit bull lawyer who will go after the city and the militant homo group.
Oh God, not these professional-protesting Bush-hating phonies again.
First, this is not breaking news.
Second, they hired a film crew and were practically begging to be arrested. They refused to stay our of their opposition protesters permitted area, marched toward the stage with bullhorns and then disobeyed orders to go to a specific area just before being arrested.
It’s the police’s duty to keep potentially violence down by separating opposition protests. It’s apparently these guy’s duty to pull a Cindy Sheehan and get arrested on film. Now they toll forums making the most of their “victimhood”.
Why does the Philadelphia Police Department side with the sodomites. Have they been repeatedly been penetrated?
were you there?
Have you seen the video tape?
Do you have a link?
The logical progession of this tactic is articulated in the Family Research Council's protest against a bill that is currently peniding the the U.S. Senate. We MUST stop this homosexual agenda. Here is the contentof Tony Perkin's petition to the Senate:
Link: https://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=PT05J01&f=AL05J05&t=e&track=0
October 15, 2005
I Oppose S. 1145 the So-Called, "Hate Crimes" Bill.
Dear Sen. Frist:
I oppose the so called, "hate crimes" bill (the Conyers Amendment to the Children's Safety Act of 2005, H.R. 3132) because it punishes thoughts, not just actions, and equates homosexual behavior with race. A hate crimes law could eventually lead to criminal charges for preaching or teaching against homosexual conduct.
Please use your power as Majority Leader to stop this legislation.
PT05J01
Who are "they"? The Pink Angels or the protesters?
I wrote Micael Smirkonish last year in protest when he was applauding the arrest of the Christians and supporting the ridiculous DA (who is a personal friend of his.)
Yes, I saw the tape all the way through.
The gays behaved badly, but the tape supports what I said about bullhorns, marching to the stage, and (after a lot of arguing with the police) the head cop saying something like, "I told you to go to chestnut streets, that's it, you're under arrest".
Anti-Bush statements on these guys web site supports what I sad about their politics. Their misleading press releases of this event supports my calling them professional protesting phonies.
And then bringing phoney baloney charges that the judge laughed out of his courtroom. This is what they are being slammed for, and rightly so.
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