Source: St. Petersburg Times, Tampa Tribune
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- A Pinellas County judge Wednesday ruled that five men wielding anti-gay signs at St. Petersburg's gay pride parade in 2007 violated the city's sign ordinance.
St. Petersburg city officials have the right to limit the size of signs used in protests, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Henry Andringa ruled.
Andringa put off his decision after a court proceeding in June because he wanted to determine whether the ordinance violates protesters' First Amendment rights.
Now that Andringa has decided there is nothing unconstitutional about the ordinance, he has ruled the five men violated the city law, Tampa Tribune reports.
The men carried large signs with religious and anti-gay sayings during the 2007 parade, then refused to follow police officers' requests that they remove the signs, St. Petersburg Times reports.
A city rule adopted before the 2007 event restricted hand-held signs or banners and megaphones. Another ordinance allowed police to enforce the permit conditions with fines or arrests, the Times reported.
Their lawyer filed a motion asking Andringa to dismiss the case because the sign ordinance violated the First Amendment, which would have wiped out the guilty verdict.
Andringa issued an order Wednesday denying that request. His two-page order does not list any reasons for his decision.
The five protesters -- religious men from Georgia who travel around the south protesting at gay pride events -- are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 25. Each will face a $63 fine, according to the Times.
Source: Anti-Gay Signs Violated Ordinance, Judge Says | Tampa Tribune
Judge backs St. Petersburg in limiting size of protest signs | St. Petersburg Times
One God, two takes on gay pride fest | St. Petersburg Times
City may retool speech limits | St. Petersburg Times
Last modified: 28 Aug 08 12:12
state_fl, gay pride