A Tennessee man was denied the opportunity to host a prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk in his town after a permit for the public event was denied by city officials.
Brad Tumey requested on Monday — five days after Mr. Kirk’s Sept. 10 killing — to hold a prayer vigil on the city’s green space in Morristown, in northeast Tennessee. It is a city of about 30,000 people.
But he was told that a city ordinance prohibits the use of the green space for “political or religious” activities.
Represented by First Liberty Institute, a religious-liberty legal advocacy group, Mr. Tumey has sent a letter to city officials asking them to reconsider their denial or face litigation.
According to the demand letter, Mr. Tumey’s lawyers say the city’s ban violates the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees.
“The City’s blanket ban on religious activity abridges both his (I) freedom of speech and (II) the free exercise of his religion,” the letter on behalf of Mr. Tumey read.
It was addressed to Mayor Gary Chesney, Assistant City Manager Andrew Ellard, and City Attorney Lauren Carroll.
Mr. Ellard told The Washington Times that the city has not fully reviewed the demand letter and that the application for a permit on Friday has not yet been reviewed.
He said those are usually submitted at least 30 days in advance.
“However, regardless of the nature of the application, the farmers market and downtown green are unavailable on Friday as the space transitions from its daytime use as a farmers market and preparations begin for a Saturday event that has been on the calendar for several months,” Mr. Ellard told The Washington Times in an email.
“The city neither permits nor denies the right of individuals to peacefully assemble. Several public parks in the immediate vicinity of downtown are also well equipped for such assemblies,” he said.
“We also join in grieving the loss of Charlie Kirk and any other such lapse as we have seen in our nation’s sense of civility. The community needs opportunities to come together, and we are thankful for those in the Morristown area that have organized such gatherings to honor others and pray for all,” Mr. Ellard said.
Mr. Kirk was a conservative activist who led Turning Point USA. He was assassinated while debating college students at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
The politically motivated assassination of the 31-year-old has led to massive prayer vigils being held across the country.
Mr. Kirk’s funeral is scheduled for Sept. 21 at State Farm Stadium, the 60,000-seat Glendale home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.