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WATCH: Texas Cop Threatens to Ticket Veteran Preacher at Pride Fest: ‘If Someone Is Offended…’
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Fort Worth Speech Dispute Draws First Amendment Questions A June… |
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Fort Worth Speech Dispute Draws First Amendment Questions A June 27 encounter at Trinity Pride Fest in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, has stirred a fresh fight over public speech, police power, and the ever-popular modern theory that feelings can rewrite the Constitution if everyone just squints hard enough. According to video and reporting from Sarah Fields, Christian street preachers David Grisham, a retired police officer, and Richard Penkoski were preaching on public property near the event when Fort Worth police officers approached them. Police had set up barricades around streets and sidewalks for the festival, and officers moved the men farther from the area. The key issue is simple: public streets and sidewalks are traditionally treated as public forums, even when a permitted event is nearby. That does not mean anyone can block traffic or blast a megaphone into someone’s ear, but it also does not mean a private event gets a roaming speech veto over the surrounding city grid. Officer Says Offended Listeners Could Mean A Ticket The most notable moment came when a female officer told the preachers, “If someone is offended by your talking, then we have a problem,” according to the video. She also said, “If…
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