A group of Christian street preachers has filed a lawsuit against the city of Chicago, claiming authorities violated their constitutional rights by arresting them while they were publicly sharing the Gospel.
The legal action was brought by the American Center for Law and Justice, which said the city unlawfully enforced local regulations against religious speech. According to the organization, the arrests occurred while the men were preaching in public areas near Millennium Park.
The complaint was filed on behalf of Brett Raio and two other preachers identified as Reetik and Perez, who were taken into custody while delivering Christian messages in downtown Chicago.
Raio was the first to be arrested after preaching near Millennium Park, one of the city’s most heavily visited public spaces. His case was later dismissed before trial when video footage was presented that showed the circumstances surrounding the arrest.
According to the lawsuit, police detained Reetik and Perez at the same location only days after Raio’s case was dismissed. The complaint alleges the arrests were carried out under the same enforcement practices used in the earlier incident.
The legal filing contends that Chicago authorities have been arresting street preachers for using sound amplification devices without first determining whether the sound level actually violates city noise regulations.
Under Chicago law, a permit is required only if amplified sound rises above conversational levels when measured from approximately 100 feet away. The lawsuit argues that officers did not verify whether the preaching exceeded that threshold before making arrests.
The lawsuit further claims the enforcement was directed specifically at Christian street preachers and therefore infringed upon rights protected under the First Amendment.
In addition to seeking damages for the alleged violations, the complaint asks the court to address the harm and emotional distress caused by the arrests and time spent in custody.
Court filings state that Reetik and Perez were held for more than seven hours following their arrests.
The lawsuit alleges Chicago’s enforcement practices violated the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act by selectively applying its noise ordinance to religious speech while allowing other urban noise.
