A federal lawsuit has been filed against the City of Benson, Minnesota, after police charged an open-air Christian preacher with criminal trespassing for standing in a public parking lot. The preacher, Bryan Conwell, was holding a sign that read ‘Abolish Abortion to the Glory of God’ and was asked to leave or pay a $20 fee to speak.

First Amendment Rights

The lawsuit, filed by the Center for American Liberty, claims that the city’s actions constitute severe First Amendment violations, including infringement on freedom of speech, the free exercise of religion, viewpoint discrimination, and unconstitutional fees on speech. Conwell’s lawsuit comes amid a broader push by lawmakers and legal groups to protect street preachers from police overreach.

Conwell regularly holds signs in public places and waits silently, speaking only to those who approach him and engage in conversation. He was cited for criminal trespass July 9 and issued a second citation when he returned on July 16. Conwell now faces up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine for each citation.

The lawsuit alleges that the city’s actions place an unconstitutional ‘price tag’ on free speech by forcing a peaceful speaker to buy a commercial license. The Center for American Liberty’s CEO, Mark Trammell, stated that ‘the First Amendment doesn’t come with a price tag’ and that government officials cannot force Americans to buy a license before they peacefully express their beliefs on public property.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.