Street preacher goes to court to challenge ban on spreading Gospel on Atlanta sidewalks

A street preacher in Atlanta has sued Georgia authorities after he was banned from spreading the Gospel on public sidewalks in May.

Evangelist Eric Love has claimed that his free speech rights were violated when he was prevented from preaching while he was standing outside the Shaky Beats music festival held in downtown Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park.

The Georgia World Congress Center Authority, which oversees the park, cited a Georgia law which prohibits solicitation and other activities on public sidewalks and streets bordering the park when large events are held.

Terry Lloyd, one of the lawyers representing Love, contended that the policy amounts to an unreasonable ban on free speech.

The lawsuit is asking a judge to decide whether the Georgia World Congress Center Authority and the police force can prohibit preaching on the park's surrounding sidewalks.

"These sidewalks are just like any other sidewalks — they're used by the public and they really ought to be open to the public," said Tony Mangini of the Center for Religious Expression, according to The Associated Press.

Mangini, who is another attorney for Love, contended that the case is definitely important because it calls into question the rights to free speech and religious liberty.

He said that he sees the hostility growing against Christianity, but he reminds believers that despite the mounting tensions, they must not be silent and should know the law.

"People of faith can protect themselves against this assault by knowing their rights and exercising them. The government cannot shut down speech in a truly public place, like a public park or sidewalk, just because the government or a private citizen doesn't like it. Nor can the government ban every form of expression in such places," the lawyer stated.

During the May concert, Love and his two friends were confronted by the authority's police officers while they were on a sidewalk outside the park.

According to Love's complaint, they were told that they needed a permit to express their views on the sidewalk, but they were not eligible for such a permit and they would have to move.

Love's lawyer noted that one of the preacher's friends were handcuffed and placed in the back of a police vehicle at one point, but was released later.

"Love strongly desires to return to the public sidewalks adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park and share his religious views while large events are taking place in the park, but he does not want to risk criminal arrest," Lloyd wrote.

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal is one of the defendants named in the lawsuit. Love's lawyer is hoping that the matter would be resolved soon so that Love can preach the Gospel at the Sweet Water 420 Festival, another large concert scheduled for the park in April.