Thomas More Society filed suit in federal court on April 2, 2020 against Mayor Nancy Vaughan of Greensboro, North Carolina, whose police force last week threatened with arrest and arrested several groups of pro-life advocates peacefully and lawfully praying near an abortion clinic in that city. The Society is seeking an immediate temporary restraining order in federal court to secure the rights of the advocates to pray on the public sidewalk, in accord with the express terms of the Guilford County stay-at-home order and North Carolina’s statewide stay-at-home order, both of which state that “outdoor activity” is “essential.” No other individuals have been threatened with arrest or arrested under the orders for walking on the public sidewalks anywhere else in Greensboro.

Greensboro police released a statement that they issued citations to the pro-life advocates under the Traveling for a Non Essential Function prohibitions in the Guilford County order. They stated that they arrested the advocates because they would not leave the location.

“Prayer is still legal during this pandemic,” explained Stephen Crampton, Senior Counsel at the Thomas More Society. “Greensboro’s Mayor Vaughan should be ashamed of herself for using the cover of this national crisis to attack public expressions of religious faith that she disagrees with. If Mayor Vaughan were truly interested in saving lives, she would shut down this abortion clinic, which is using up critical personal protective equipment needed for COVID-19 response.”

“Prayer is still legal during this pandemic,” explained Stephen Crampton, Senior Counsel at the Thomas More Society.

Crampton added: “Our many other clients have continued their life-affirming witness on public sidewalks outside abortion providers across the country, in full compliance with other states’ stay-at-home orders. Greensboro police have misused the stay-at-home orders here to silence the free speech and free exercise of religion guaranteed to every American citizen by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.”

The plaintiffs, along with all pro-life witnesses at the Greensboro abortion clinic, A Woman’s Choice, are fully committed to abiding by all applicable social distancing requirements. They merely want to peacefully pray and witness on the public sidewalk without government interference.

Read the Plaintiff’s Memorandum in Support of Motion for Temporary Restraining Order filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, Tisley, et al. v. Vaughan & Knott, by the Thomas More Society, April 2, 2020, here.