ACLJ Clears Way for 9-11 Documentary to be Shown in New York City Parks

(New York, New York) - The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), focusing on constitutional law, said today it is pleased that New York City's Department of Parks and Recreation has agreed to grant a request from the Christian Action Network (CAN) to permit the showing of a film made about 9-11 survivors in a number of City parks leading up to the 10th anniversary of the tragic attacks of 9-11. The City agreed to permit the showing of the documentary just two weeks after the ACLJ sent a demand letter urging City officials to permit the film to be shown or face a possible lawsuit.

"This is an important victory for our clients and for the First Amendment," said Brett Joshpe, ACLJ Counsel. "The City's decision to permit this important documentary to be shown in a number of City parks protects the constitutional rights of our clients. We're pleased that the corrective action was taken in a timely manner so that our clients can show this film in the days leading up to the anniversary commemorating the tragic events of 9-11, as they had planned."

The ACLJ sent New York City a demand letter July 28th after CAN officials contend that they were denied permission to utilize a number of City parks, which are available and routinely used by other organizations, to show a documentary entitled: “Sacrificed Survivors: The Untold Story of the Ground Zero Mega-Mosque,” which addresses the controversy surrounding the mosque at Ground Zero from the perspective of individuals who lost loved ones in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Communications between the Parks Department and CAN’s representatives revealed that the Department’s concern over the documentary’s content and viewpoint was the issue.

"The law is clear: the City has violated the Christian Action Network’s rights under the First Amendment," the demand letter stated. "The City’s refusal to approve CAN’s applications due to disagreement with the content and viewpoint of the documentary violates CAN’s First Amendment rights. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the government from 'abridging the freedom of speech.'"

Led by Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, the American Center for Law and Justice focuses on constitutional law and is based in Washington, D.C. The ACLJ is online at www.aclj.org.