In Brief

Staff Reports

Federal Judge Rules Wisconsin Man Barred From Distributing Bibles Inside Pride Festival In Minneapolis

Judge Michael Davis

MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- Chief U. S. District Court Judge Michael Davis issued a 41-page ruling Monday barring Brian Johnson of Hayward, Wisconsin from handing out Bibles inside Minneapolis Pride this month at a public park.

Johnson had sought an injunction giving him unrestricted access to the Pride grounds, however, in his ruling, Judge Davis said that Johnson’s constitutional challenge is not likely to succeed adding that Johnson must confine himself to a booth just outside the event locale.

The Judge pointed out that location is adjacent to a picnic-and-entertainment area close to one of the park’s main entrances

Attorney Nate Kellum- from the Center for Religious Expression which is representing Johnson- countered that his client is being relegated to a quote, “no pride zone” where nobody will go violating his (Johnson's) First Amendment rights. Kellum says he’s exploring other legal options to get Johnson inside.

Johnson claimed that he has been distributing bibles at Minneapolis Pride since 1995 without controversy until 2009, when Pride Minneapolis refused to rent him a booth over a disagreement on his views about homosexuality.