DEARBORN- Florida Pastor Terry Jones is expected to protest outside the Islamic Center of America on Saturday, April 7. Earlier this week he filed a lawsuit against the city of Dearborn. In the suit Jones alleges the city violated his free speech rights by asking him to sign an agreement before his scheduled protest outside the ICA. 

On Thursday federal judge Denise Page Hood ruled the agreement would violate Jones’ rights, and gave him the green light to protest without signing the “hold harmless” agreement, which the city introduced to avoid being liable for any incidents that may occur during the protest. In the past, other groups that have demonstrated in Dearborn were forced to sign similar agreements. The area where Jones is protesting is not considered a safe area for pedestrians, and is bordered by two busy roads. Signing the agreement would have required Jones to purchase insurance, which would be costly according to the suit filed by the Thomas More Law Center of Ann Arbor. 

Last year Jones received wide condemnation when he made plans to protest outside the ICA on April 15, but was denied a permit by the city and ordered to court the same day. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office also filed a complaint alleging Jones was likely to breach the peace. A judge at Dearborn’s 19th District Court ordered Jones and his assistant Wayne Sapp to pay a $1 peace bond each, and placed a ban restricting them to stay away from the Islamic Center of America for three years.  Afterward the two eventually made a court appeal to the ban, and a judge lifted it. Local leaders are strongly urging the community to ignore Jones’ protest.