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Gay Pride Organizers Seek To Exclude Anti-Gay Christian Evangelist

By Howard M. Friedman

In Minneapolis (MN), organizers of a gay pride festival expected to draw 200,000 people want the Minneapolis Park Board to bar a Christian evangelist from handing out literature at the event. According to yesterday's Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Park Board denied a booth to evangelist Brian Johnson, but approved a request that he be allowed to hand out anti-gay literature at Twin Cities Pride, saying that since it is a public event he is free to share his views so long as he does not disturb others. However festival organizers say they will file suit in federal court today seeking an injunction. They say Johnson is welcome to attend, but not to hand out literature, relying on the Supreme Court decision in Hurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Group of Boston that allowed St. Patrick's Day Parade organizers to exclude an LGBT group from marching. The Park Board says, however, that the case is inapplicable; since Johnson was denied a booth at Twin Cities Pride, he is not part of the event.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on June 23, 2010 (boomark / email).