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This is another equal access case in which the ACLJ is fighting on behalf of a group of citizens who applied to use a public park for a National Day of Prayer event. The city officials agreed to let them use the park for free but charged a fee for use of the amplification equipment. This fee is waived for other similar groups. Our clients were singled out for unequal treatment because of their message. Following its decision in Good News Club v. Milford Central School, the Supreme Court vacated a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling against our client and ordered the trial court to reconsider the case in light of the Good News Club decision. Finally, after six years of litigation, on November 20, 2003, the federal district court held that the City of Tucson's discriminatory treatment of Mr. Gentala based on his religion, must end because it infringed upon his right to equal access to a public park.
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