Evangelist Sues Over Exclusion of Leafleting at Neighborhood Christmas Festival

Suit was filed earlier this month in an Arizona federal district court by a Christian evangelist challenging Tucson's decision in 2025 to exclude religious, political, and issue-based leafleting at the annual Winterhaven Festival of Lights, a neighborhood display of Christmas and seasonal lights. Instead, leafleting was permitted outside the Festival in a "free expression zone." The complaint (full text) in Hoffman v. City of Tucson, (D AZ, filed 10/2/2026), alleges that the exclusion violates plaintiff's free speech, free exercise and due process rights. First Liberty Institute issued a press release announcing the filing of the lawsuit.

Religious Tracts Cannot Be Distributed On Arena Plaza

In Ball v. City of Lincoln, Nebraska, (D NE, June 23, 2016), a Nebraska federal district court dismissed an attempt to enjoin authorities from enforcing a policy that, among other things, bars leafleting on a Plaza Area outside the Pinnacle Bank Arena unless requested by a person renting out the Arena or the artists or productions they represent. (Full text of Use Policy.) The Arena was jointly constructed by the city of Lincoln and the University of Nebraska.  Plaintiff Larry Ball handed out religious tracts in the Plaza Area on several occasions, and was cited for trespass.  The court upheld the Arena's policy, finding that the Plaza Area is a non-public forum and that the restrictions on its use are reasonable because they are neutral and do not curtail free speech in nearby areas. Lincoln Journal Star reporting on the decision says that an appeal is planned.