Street preacher’s tickets decision overturned
The City of Calgary has won a court appeal against controversial Calgary street preacher Artur Pawlowski.
Pawlowski was ticketed in April 2007 after using an amplifier to preach in a public park without a permit.
He fought the tickets and won.
The judge in the case ruled his freedoms of religion and expression had been unduly encroached on.
The city appealed and now the earlier acquittal has been overturned.
"I do not consider that the city has abused its powers. It was faced with balancing the concerns of the public with the wishes of Mr. Pawlowski," Calgary Court of Queen’s Bench Justice R.J. Hall wrote in his decision.
"The citizens of Calgary are entitled to a healthy environment, including noise control in city parks."
Pawlowski said that’s not going to be the end of the story.
"We believe that our freedom of expression is taken away from us and it infringes on our freedoms, and we’re going to appeal it," he said.
No date has been set for Pawlowski’s next appeal.
