Michigan authorities face a lawsuit for not protecting Christians who were assaulted at an Arab festival.
Several Christians were at the festival in Wayne County, handing out leaflets and engaging people in conversations, when Muslims began throwing stones, bloodying some of them. But instead of jailing the attackers, attorney Rob Muise of the American Freedom Law Center (AFLC) says police threatened the Christians with arrest if they did not cease their activities.
"Law enforcement has a constitutional duty not to effectuate what is described as a heckler's veto or join a violent mob intent on suppressing speech," Muise notes. "Rather, they have a constitutional duty to protect the speaker."
He suggests authorities need to understand that the U.S. is not guided by sharia law.
"Our Judeo-Christian principles founded in our Constitution protect freedom of speech and protect the free exercise of religion," the attorney notes. "So, what the police are doing here are essentially enforcing this sharia-mandated prohibition on free speech and free exercise of religion rather than upholding the supreme law of the land in this country, and that's the U.S. Constitution -- not Sharia."
Muise is asking the court for an injunction against the sheriff's department for not enforcing the law. He has also made a request for nominal damages and attorney fees.