Man sues over Lincoln arena policy that hampers leafleting

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A man who was ticketed for trespassing while handing out religious leaflets outside Lincolns Pinnacle Bank Arena has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city.

The Lincoln Journal Star reports (http://bit.ly/1BcP7K4 ) that Larry Ball says in a lawsuit filed Thursday that arena policies violate his free speech rights. The lawsuit names the mayor, the police chief and the arena operator, SMG.

Ball, who is seeking punitive damages and attorney fees, was arrested and cited last week for trespassing during the girls state basketball tournament. A year ago he was arrested and cited outside the state boys basketball tournament.

City Attorney Jeff Kirkpatricks office dismissed charges against Ball last year, and then released a policy that governs exterior access to the arena.

The policy restricts the areas in which solicitors, pamphleteers, pickets, members of the media and others can work and demonstrate.

The restricted area encompasses the public sidewalk, walkways, steps, terraces, verandas, access ramps, loading ramps, Festival Space parking and the parking garage.

The city says that the arena sits on land that is owns, and that the area in front of the arena is quasi-public.

Balls attorneys, Thomas White of Omaha and Amy Miller of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska, say the arenas sidewalks are public thoroughfares.

Kirkpatrick told the newspaper that the city worked with SMG to craft a policy that would allow for First Amendment demonstrations.

Larry Ball had (the) opportunity to use that forum just like anybody else within the parameters that we felt necessary to allow us to operate the arena in a businesslike manner, he said Thursday evening.

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Man sues over Lincoln arena policy that hampers leafleting