The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas contends in a new federal lawsuit that Arkansas's loitering law violates the U.S. Constitution's protections on free speech by prohibiting begging.
In the complaint filed Friday, the ACLU of Arkansas says that the state's law prevents people from "peacefully [asking] others for money, food, or other charity," which it says should be "constitutionally-protected speech." It lists as plaintiffs two men who it says have begged in Arkansas and have been cited or arrested under the law.
"Both individuals are now afraid to continue begging for fear of breaking this law," the ACLU of Arkansas said in a statement Monday announcing the suit had been filed.
[DOCUMENT: Read the full lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Arkansas]
The suit contends the law should be found unconstitutional under the First and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson.
Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
