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ACLU Sues Over Panhandling Ban

The American Civil Liberties Union is suing Michigan’s Attorney General and the city of Grand Rapids to overturn a law banning peaceful panhandling. The civil rights group says the law is harsh and unconstitutional. The suit is being filed on behalf of two men – one who was requesting change for bus fare and another who was arrested while holding a sign that read “Need job. God bless.” Both activities are illegal in a public area under a Michigan law that dates to 1931. The ACLU argues the law violates the men’s rights to constitutionally-protected free speech and equal protection, because it targets panhandlers but not others carrying placards or requesting donations. The civil rights group says Michigan’s homeless population is growing and locking up those in poverty will not cure the state’s economic difficulties.