New Orleans Judge Temporarily Bans Law That Prohibits Preaching on Bourbon St.

Last year the New Orleans city council enforced a new law that prohibits talking about Jesus between the hours of sunset and sunrise on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. The ordinance makes it illegal to “loiter or congregate on Bourbon Street for the purpose of disseminating any social, political or religious message between the hours of sunset and sunrise.” The violation is a misdemeanor with a penalty of up to six months in jail and a $500 fine.  However, a federal judge has temporarily lifted the ban on preaching, as it conflicts with our First Amendment, the freedom of speech.

“Religious speech is just as important, and just as protected by the First Amendment, as speech about any other subject at any time of day,” ADF Legal Counsel Joseph La Rue told The Christian Post. “New Orleans cannot make criminals of people simply because they want to talk about their faith.”

La Rue said he did not know the reason the city council passed the ordinance and did not want to disclose his speculation “because they would only be guesses.” The ADF lawyer said he clearly views this as a First Amendment issue.

“The government simply cannot tell us the subjects that we can’t discuss. The First Amendment doesn’t allow that,” La Rue said. “The city has said ‘you can come on to Bourbon Street, you can discuss lots of different things, but not religion. Government isn’t allowed to do that to us. We get to decide what we will discuss, not the government.”

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