Charges were dropped late this afternoon against Joseph Holland, a Northwestern University graduate student, who had been arrested last month for praying on a public sidewalk outside a Chicago Planned Parenthood clinic.
Holland had been the first person arrested under city’s new “bubble zone” ordinance, which prohibits “approaching within eight feet of a person without consent “for the purpose of passing a leaflet or handbill to, displaying a sign to, or engaging in oral protest, education, or counseling.”
“We are pleased that the City of Chicago has dismissed these false and baseless charges against Joe Holland,” said Peter Breen, Thomas More Society executive director and legal counsel. “The First Amendment protects prayer on a public sidewalk in Chicago the same as in any other city in the country. We hope that the city will cease the suppression of pro-life speech under the ‘bubble zone’ ordinance and dismiss the lone remaining case, brought against David Avignone, who was arrested a few days after Joe.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Watch a video of the Holland incident.
Print
