Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed suit against the City of Elmira, N.Y., after police threatened to arrest three Christians if they did not remove a shirt and stop sharing biblical messages during a “gay” pride event at a public park.

John Barnes wore a shirt with the message “Liberated from sin by the blood of Jesus” to the Southern Tier Pride 2008 at Wisner Park – a June 14 event promoted as a celebration of homosexual, bisexual and transgender lifestyles.

According to the complaint filed in a U.S. district court, Elmira police Capt. Michael Marrone ordered Barnes to remove his shirt to prevent a “negative atmosphere” at the event and arouse discomfort in other attendees.

Barnes obeyed the officer and took off his shirt so he could remain at the park without facing arrest.

Another Christian, Julian Raven, carried a Christian newsletter to the event called the Elmira Protestor. Marrone threatened to arrest Raven if he distributed the letter, saying it contained obscene or illegal material, according to the complaint. Raven complied with the order.

Capt. James Wandell and Sgt. Sharon Moyer threatened a third Christian, James DeFerio, with arrest for holding a sign on a public sidewalk adjacent to the park. The sign read: “Thousands of ex-homosexuals have experienced the life-changing love of Jesus Christ” and listed websites for more information about ministry to ex-"gays.”

Mayor John Tonello spoke about democracy at the ‘gay’ pride event, while his Brown Shirt thugs suppressed Free Speech and Freedom of Religion outside the event.

This is something even some so-called conservatives here at SAB do not understand or just don’t care anything about:

“Exercising your First Amendment rights is not a crime. Threatening to arrest Christians simply because they have opposing views and choose to exercise their free speech rights at a public place is unconstitutional.”

Yes, in the Public Square it is unlawful, unConstitutional to infringe upon Free Speech and Freedom of Religion which are supposedly guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. Quite frankly, even demanding that Code Pink or others remove political images on their clothing or banners in the Senate or House Galleries is offensive to the very concept of free political speech.

Let’s be honest, in this case it is the police using the color of authority to suppress any speech which does not support the homosexual agenda. Police Departments are increasingly becoming the Storm Troopers for the Homosexual Activists and Liberals, no better than the Gestapo in infringing upon Free Speech and mostly any public Christian speech.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=73042