by Jorge Gomez • 3 minutes
Great news! The U.S. Supreme Court will hear First Liberty’s case involving Gabriel Olivier, an evangelist who was banned by a local ordinance from sharing his faith in a public park.
Gabe filed a lawsuit claiming his constitutional rights were violated. But he never got the opportunity to plead his case in court. That’s the legal issue the Supreme Court will consider.
This is a major case that presents the nation’s highest court with an opportunity to strengthen protections for religious liberty, free speech and the right of every American to seek relief in court.
Gabe wants to share his Christian faith with others. Standing outside of well-attended events, he shares the Gospel, hoping to start conversations and reach as many people as possible.
But the City of Brandon, Mississippi issued an unconstitutional ordinance that bans Gabe from communicating his religious beliefs to others in a city park. They forced him to go to a remote “protest” area where his message can’t be heard or seen. He was arrested and fined when he didn’t stay there.
Gabe challenged the local ordinance in federal court. But the court dismissed his constitutional claim, without even considering the merits of it. In other words, Gabriel was effectively denied his day in court.
First Liberty attorney Hiram Sasser explains why this case could have a ripple effect across America:
The ordinance passed by the City of Brandon is undeniably unconstitutional, as it deprives our client of his free speech rights. Religious speech in a public place is heavily guarded by the First Amendment, which clearly grants all Americans the right to express their point of view, religious or secular, perhaps no more so than on a public sidewalk.
As a nation built on religious freedom, talking about your faith to people in a public park should not be prohibited. And no American should be arrested or charged for doing so. But if that were to happen—as it did with Gabe—you should be able to go to court and plead your case.
Religious liberty is meaningless if Americans can’t go to court to seek relief when their rights are violated. If you can’t challenge a violation of your rights or even plead your case in court, are you truly and fully free to exercise your religion?
“Every American has First Amendment rights to free speech; and every American has a right to their day in court,” Kelly Shackelford, President and CEO for First Liberty. “Both of these rights were violated for Gabe Olivier. The Supreme Court will now decide whether those rights will be protected for all Americans.”
The stakes in this case couldn’t be any higher. The legal issues impact the civil rights of millions of Americans, virtually every person in the country. The outcome could help make sure that anyone whose civil rights are violated can bring their case before a court.
Your Opportunity to Impact the Future of Our Nation
As a faithful First Liberty supporter, we want to thank you for helping us reach this important milestone. Your ongoing prayers and support are the reasons we can keep fighting on behalf of Americans like Gabe.
But our work is not finished yet. To claim a victory for Gabe, we’ll need your continued support.
The next several months will be incredibly busy. Taking a case to the highest court in the country always demands a great deal of work and resources, and we need to replenish our arsenal to prepare for oral argument. Your gift today will make a tremendous difference in this final phase.
Will you support First Liberty with a timely donation? You support can help ensure our legal team and our arguments are razor-sharp when we go before the justices.
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