Wheaton students sue Chicago for undermining free speech, evangelism
(Worthy News) – Four Wheaton college students are protesting a decision by the city of Chicago to restrict free speech and put a stopper in their evangelism.
Caeden Hood, Gabriel Emerson, Matt Swart, and Jeremy Chong were part of a Wheaton evangelism team that went down to the city on Friday nights to share the gospel before employees of Millennium park, the Midwest’s top tourist attraction, told them in December that they couldn’t evangelize anymore.
“An essential part of Christianity is sharing the gospel,” Chong, a sophomore, told the Chicago Tribune.
In April the city solidified the park’s decision to prevent free speech by subdividing it into 11 sections, 10 of which now prohibit “the making of speeches and passing out of written communications,” according to Chicago’s city website.
The students filed a lawsuit against the city Wednesday for restricting their 1st amendment rights to free speech and freedom of religion, after having received no response to their initial letter promising legal action if officials did not uphold the constitution by changing the rules.
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