Supreme Court to debate if sidewalk preacher may pursue First Amendment suit

Pro-life supporters protest outside the US Supreme Court during the 44th annual March for Life on January 27, 2017 in Washington, DC. Zach Gibson/AFP/Getty Images

Gabriel Olivier’s lawyers will tell the Supreme Court on Wednesday that his sidewalk ministry is about sharing his faith with his fellow citizens – and should be protected by the First Amendment.

But the suburban Mississippi community he sued will counter that Olivier was part of a group that used a loudspeaker to call people “whores” and “Jezebels” as they entered a country music concert – and that his case could open federal courts to a flood of new lawsuits from people critics say are effectively trying to reverse their convictions.

The justices are being asked to sort out whether Olivier may challenge the city of Brandon