Scroll To Top
Religion

Judge Blocks New Orleans Anti–Street Preaching Law

Judge Blocks New Orleans Anti–Street Preaching Law

God_hates_youx400

The judge suspended enforcement of a law that had been used to arrest several antigay preachers during Southern Decadence.

trudestress
Support The Advocate
LGBTQ+ stories are more important than ever. Join us in fighting for our future. Support our journalism.

A judge has suspended enforcement of a New Orleans ordinance under which several antigay street preachers were arrested during the Southern Decadence festival Labor Day weekend.

U.S. district judge Eldon Fallon last Friday issued a temporary restraining order against the "aggressive solicitation" law, which forbids people to "loiter or congregate on Bourbon Street for the purpose of disseminating any social, political or religious message between the hours of sunset and sunrise," The Times-Picayune reports. Fallon scheduled a hearing on a preliminary injunction for next Monday.

Eight antigay preachers were arrested on suspicion of violating the law during this year's Southern Decadence, an LGBT-focused annual celebration in the city's French Quarter, which includes Bourbon Street. A ninth was arrested on suspicion of battery and resisting a police officer who attempted to take away his bullhorn. Some preachers present that night carried signs with slogans such as "God Hates Homos" and, according to witnesses, shouted homophobic slurs.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which sought the restraining order, represents a client who was not involved in that incident and does not engage in aggressive activity, said ACLU lawyer Justin Harrison. Kelsey McKenner and her group, Raven Ministries, "don't follow people or touch them at all," Harrison told The Times-Picayune. "They don't even engage specific people unless they want to be engaged."

trudestress
The Advocates with Sonia BaghdadyOut / Advocate Magazine - Jonathan Groff & Wayne Brady

From our Sponsors

Most Popular

Latest Stories

Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.