Chesapeake officials: Keep your religion out of our public park

NORFOLK, Va. — ADF attorneys filed a federal lawsuit Thursday on behalf of a Christian group barred from displaying a cross in a Chesapeake public park.  City officials told members of Christian Rights Ministries that their 12-foot high, white cross must be removed from the park following a Fourth of July parade.

"Christians shouldn’t be penalized for expressing their beliefs," said ADF Senior Counsel Nate Kellum.  "Government officials have no right to harass or threaten citizens for exercising their First Amendment rights in public.  Christians have the same free speech rights as anyone else in America."

CRM President Steve Taylor founded the nonprofit group with the mission of sharing his beliefs with the public.  On July 4, 2007, CRM members participated in Chesapeake’s Independence Day parade, along with other local community organizations, as a way to fulfill their mission.  One member carried the cross.

After the parade, CRM and other groups were permitted to set up booths in a park.  A city official told CRM that the cross they set up next to their booth was "way out there" and "blatantly Christian" and ordered them to remove it.  Another official told CRM that the city would forcibly remove the cross without the group’s consent and that the display was "offensive."  CRM removed the cross from the booth and has not publicly shared its message again for fear of legal action by the city.

City officials did not respond to a letter sent by ADF attorneys on behalf of CRM in an attempt to resolve the situation.

"Singling out Christians or Christian groups for discrimination is unconstitutional and should not be permitted in Chesapeake," Kellum said.

ADF is a legal alliance defending the right to hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation.