Christian Group Sues Dearborn over Arab Festival Access For Converting Muslims
Christian group sues Dearborn over Arab festival access
Dearborn -- A group that aims to convert Muslims to Christianity has sued the city of Dearborn and its Police Department, claiming the city is violating its free speech and religious rights by limiting its access to patrons at this weekend's 14th annual Dearborn Arab International Festival.
The group, Arabic Christian Perspective, filed a lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Detroit, alleging its rights were violated when Dearborn police told the group its members would not be able to walk freely through the festival's four- to five-block area passing out literature promoting Christianity over Islam. Organizers want to confine the group to a designated area, the lawsuit said.
The group, which conducts similar efforts nationwide, wants 90 volunteers to have unlimited access throughout the festival, which runs Friday through Sunday.
Calls to the California-based Arabic Christian Perspective were not returned.
But Richard Thompson, an attorney for the group, said Arabic Christian Perspective has been passing out literature at the festival for the past five years without incident.
"It's clear that there has never been any disruptive behavior," Thompson said Tuesday. "These are people who are peaceful evangelists. They hand out pamphlets and literature. If people don't want it, they walk away."
Festival organizers say the issue is not about religion.
"We have Christian and Muslim groups that have information booths (at the festival)," said Fay Beydoun, the executive director for the American Arab Chamber of Commerce in Dearborn, one of the groups organizing the event. Arabic Christian Perspective is welcome to rent a booth as well, she said, but the group has not contacted her organization.
Beydoun said it would be a safety issue to have large numbers of people passing out fliers during the festival.
The group says the city and festival organizers have no legal right to block them from public sidewalks. Thompson said his office has had discussions with the Police Department about giving the group greater access. He said if the department denies the request, his office will seek an injunction today in federal court.
City spokeswoman Mary Laundroche said Tuesday the city had not received the lawsuit and could not comment on it.
Dearborn -- A group that aims to convert Muslims to Christianity has sued the city of Dearborn and its Police Department, claiming the city is violating its free speech and religious rights by limiting its access to patrons at this weekend's 14th annual Dearborn Arab International Festival.
The group, Arabic Christian Perspective, filed a lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Detroit, alleging its rights were violated when Dearborn police told the group its members would not be able to walk freely through the festival's four- to five-block area passing out literature promoting Christianity over Islam. Organizers want to confine the group to a designated area, the lawsuit said.
The group, which conducts similar efforts nationwide, wants 90 volunteers to have unlimited access throughout the festival, which runs Friday through Sunday.
Calls to the California-based Arabic Christian Perspective were not returned.
But Richard Thompson, an attorney for the group, said Arabic Christian Perspective has been passing out literature at the festival for the past five years without incident.
"It's clear that there has never been any disruptive behavior," Thompson said Tuesday. "These are people who are peaceful evangelists. They hand out pamphlets and literature. If people don't want it, they walk away."
Festival organizers say the issue is not about religion.
"We have Christian and Muslim groups that have information booths (at the festival)," said Fay Beydoun, the executive director for the American Arab Chamber of Commerce in Dearborn, one of the groups organizing the event. Arabic Christian Perspective is welcome to rent a booth as well, she said, but the group has not contacted her organization.
Beydoun said it would be a safety issue to have large numbers of people passing out fliers during the festival.
The group says the city and festival organizers have no legal right to block them from public sidewalks. Thompson said his office has had discussions with the Police Department about giving the group greater access. He said if the department denies the request, his office will seek an injunction today in federal court.
City spokeswoman Mary Laundroche said Tuesday the city had not received the lawsuit and could not comment on it.
Comments
Post a Comment