Description: University of Alabama officials banned Mr. Rodney Keister from engaging in religious speech on a sidewalk that ran along public streets and also happened to border several university buildings. Officials told Mr. Keister he could not engage in that speech without providing a 10-day notice and obtaining a permit.
ADF urges US Supreme Court to uphold freedom of speech on public sidewalks
Wednesday, Nov 23, 2022
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy John Bursch regarding a friend-of-the-court brief ADF attorneys, along with co-counsel William Esser at Parker Roe Adams & Bernstein, LLP, filed Wednesday with the U.S. Supreme Court in Keister v. Bell on behalf of Young America’s Foundation, supporting the constitutionally protected right of free speech on public sidewalks alongside college campuses:
“Public city sidewalks that happen to border a university’s campus are still public, open to anyone to freely walk and talk. University of Alabama officials have no authority to restrict an individual from speaking peacefully on a public sidewalk, along a public street—an area that has always been open to anyone wishing to speak. We urge the U.S. Supreme Court to take this case and affirm that public sidewalks along public streets are open for anyone’s expression, no government permission is required.”
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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