College Sued Over Speech Restrictions

A Christian evangelist is suing Southeastern Louisiana University for threatening to arrest him if he didn’t stop speaking on campus. A federal judge refused to give evangelist Jeremy Sonnier a preliminary injunction that would temporarily block the public school from enforcing its speech policy while the lawsuit proceeded. The school is some 50 miles north of New Orleans in Hammond, Louisiana requires visitors to get permission to speak on campus a week in advance and limits them to two hours a week. Displays are only allowed in three locations on campus. The judge referred to an Appeals court ruling that said the University of Arkansas was within its right to limit public speakers to five visits per semester.