Chicago Sued for Arrest of Christian Street Preachers
Guest Commentary
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By Amber Ginter, Crosswalk.com
When one becomes a Christian, sharing the Gospel is usually at the top of the list. The Great Commission, found in Matthew 28:16-20, tells all people to share the Gospel story, make disciples of all nations, baptize them, and teach the world Jesus’ commands. In Chicago, however, three Christian street preachers who were preaching in public spaces near Millennium Park were arrested for doing just that. When sharing the greatest message of all time comes with a cost, would you continue to share it?
Brett Raio, Reetik, and Perez, the three identified preachers, were arrested and charged while sharing the Gospel in one of Chicago’s major public parks. While Raio’s case was later dismissed before trial after video evidence was released, days after dismissal, Reetik and Perez were also arrested at the small location for similar charges.
Complaint claims note that “the city has adopted a policy of arresting street preachers who use sound amplification even when authorities have not determined whether the volume violates Chicago’s noise ordinance” (Christian Post). Accordingly, Chicago only requires a permit if the sound exceeds conversational level. All arrests in this case, however, were made without assessing if the volume of their speeches exceeded this threshold.
Chicago is now facing a lawsuit for these arrests and holding Reetik and Perez in jail for 7+ hours. As noted by the American Center for Law and Justice, ACLJ, these complaints allege that the street preachers' First Amendment rights were violated.
While public spaces have primarily been recognized in U.S. constitutional law as areas of freedom of speech, regardless of gender, religion, or political view, courts typically require governments to apply rules governing these spaces. According to the Christian Post, Chicago did not meet these standards and is now facing immense repercussions.
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Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.
