Saturday, December 29, 2012

Missouri City's Ordinance Is Overbroad In Likely Covering KKK Leafleting

In Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan v. City of Desloge, Missouri, (ED MO, Dec. 27, 2012), a Missouri federal district court issued a preliminary injunction against enforcement of a Missouri city's anti-solicitation ordinance because it was drafted so broadly that it likely covers expressive conduct on sidewalks, curbs, medians, and alleyways, as well as on streets.  The court found the ordinance to be overbroad and not narrowly tailored to serve a significant governmental interest.  Plaintiffs in the case, a KKK chapter, wanted to hand out leaflets on topics such as as the impact of Shariah law on the United States, risks to "White Americans" from racially-motivated attacks, information about Klansmen, and risks posed by methamphetamine.