Bryan Conwell Sues Benson Over $20 Speech Fee After 2 Trespass Citations

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 22

A federal civil rights lawsuit filed Tuesday says Benson, Minnesota, unlawfully cited street preacher Bryan Conwell twice for criminal trespass after he refused to pay a $20 vendor fee to speak at a public farmers' market parking lot.
July 9 and July 16 citations came after officials told Conwell to leave or buy a commercial license, even though the suit says he sold nothing, blocked no one and spoke only with people who approached him.
Conwell now faces up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine on each citation, while court filings cite video of an officer warning that more returns would bring more tickets.
The complaint alleges First Amendment and religious-liberty violations, including viewpoint discrimination and unconstitutional fees on protected speech, and comes amid a wider push by conservative legal groups to shield street preachers from police enforcement.