Chicago's Navy Pier

A Philadelphia-based Christian ministry has filed a lawsuit claiming three of its members were harassed by authorities in Chicago for sharing their faith with homosexuals in the city for the "Gay Games," an Olympics-style sports event.

Repent America – which saw 11 of its members arrested two years ago evangelizing at a public homosexual-activist event – says the three in Chicago were handcuffed and arrested for passing out Christian literature to homosexuals and holding up signs with Bible verses near the city's popular Navy Pier, reports Agape Press.

Police had warned the evangelists they would be arrested if caught distributing literature outside of certain designated "free-speech zones."

But the group claims that after members followed directions and moved across the street to another area, police returned and arrested them anyway.

In response, Repent America filed an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order, prompting the government agency that runs the pier, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, to agree to allow the group to continue its activities there, Agape Press said.

But Chicago attorney John Mauck says the arresting officers had made it clear Repent America's message was not welcome, including at least one who used profane language.

"There's a level of antagonism among some people against the Christian message, that it's politically incorrect or somehow insulting," Mauck said, according to Agape Press.

The weeklong Gay Games closes tonight with a ceremony at Wrigley Field.

As WorldNetDaily reported, at an October 2004 event in Philadelphia, 11 Christians from Repent America were preaching to a crowd and displaying banners with biblical messages when they came into confrontation with a group called the Pink Angels – described by protesters as "a militant mob of homosexuals." The Christians were arrested and spent a night in jail.

None of the Pink Angels was cited or arrested, but four of Repent America members individually were charged with three felonies and five misdemeanors and faced up to 47 years in prison and $90,000 in fines each.

In February 2005, after national publicity led to widespread criticism of the arrests and particularly the excessive penalties being threatened, a judge dismissed all criminal charges.

Mauck insisted the Repent America members did not come to insult or harass homosexuals.

"In fact, these are folks that so love gays that they're willing to spend a significant amount of time and even go to jail so they can tell them that there's hope," he said.

The lawsuit he filed on behalf of the arrested believers against the city of Chicago and the police officers alleges their free-speech rights were violated by the city and by the police officers. Mauck wants a court order that would prevent authorities from confining the plaintiffs to free-speech zones.

---

Related offer:

Get one of the most talked-about books of the year, "The Marketing of Evil: How Radicals, Elitists, and Pseudo-Experts Sell Us Corruption Disguised as Freedom," by David Kupelian. And you can get your copy autographed and personalized, only from ShopNetDaily!

---

Related stories:

'Philly 11' win round against 'gay' group

Philly group to protest 'Outfest' again

Judge drops all charges against Philly Christians

Judge rules against Christians who preached to homosexuals

'Philly 5' win 1 in court

Christian group gets obscene, hateful messages

Hate-crimes law infringes on 1st Amendment?

Benefit concert planned for 'Philadelphia 5'

Motion filed for Philadelphia protesters

'Philadelphia 5' arrests like 'Christian Rodney King'

Homosexuals planned Christian harassment

17-year-old girl part of 'Philadelphia 5'

U.S. attorneys complicit in arrest of Christians?

Philadelphia accused of 'abuse of power'

Prosecutor: Bible is 'fighting words'

City will prosecute Christian protesters

'Philadelphia 11' fighting back

11 Christians arrested at homosexual event