Christian Activist Plans Suit After His Arrest for 'Gay Games' Protest
by Allie Martin
October 19, 2006
(AgapePress) - - The criminal case against a Christian activist accused of disorderly conduct during the recent "Gay Games" in Chicago, Illinois, has been dropped. But after being arrested and charged for protesting outside the homosexual event, he does not plan to let the matter end there.
Earlier this year, Repent America director Michael Marcavage was standing outside Wrigley Field during the closing ceremonies of the 2006 Gay Games with a sign proclaiming a biblical message about homosexuality. Although he maintains that he did nothing either criminal or unconstitutional, Marcavage was eventually arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
However, prosecutors dropped the case the day it was to go to trial, claiming they could not find the complaining witness. But the Repent America spokesman says he has never been aware of any so-called "complaining witness," and he insists the incident is not closed.
"I'm not certain what the alleged complaining witness would have stated," Marcavage says. "We really don't know because he never showed up. I never even remember having an opportunity to speak with anyone because of the police and what they were doing while we were on the sidewalk -- and that was instructing us to leave."
The Christian activist says the entire case against him was baseless. And now he is preparing to take action in hopes of ensuring that this incident and similar cases of what he sees as anti-Christian harassment, discrimination and censorship do not go unchallenged.
"We're now working on a federal lawsuit to deal with this ongoing issue where the police department in Chicago remains hostile toward Christians," Marcavage says. "That's where we are at this stage."
Allie Martin, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
