April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 28

LAW REVIEW
'Philly Jesus' Handcuffed at
Love Park Christmas Festival
By James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.
I
n the case of Grant v. City of Philadelphia, 2022 U.S. Dist. LEXIS
191774 (E.D. Penna. 10/22/2022), Plaintiff Michael Grant, also
known as " Philly Jesus, " was detained by police on December 21,
2019, during the Christmas Village in Philadelphia's Love Park.
Grant brought a Fourth Amendment claim against Philadelphia police officers,
as well as a claim of municipal liability against Defendant City of
Philadelphia (the City).
Facts of the Case
On December 21, 2019, Plaintiff
Grant appeared as " Philly Jesus "
at Philadelphia's Love Park, which
at the time was the location of the
Christmas Village. Grant was at
the Christmas Village " dressing up
as his interpretation of Jesus and
keeping the " Christ " in Christmas
at Christmas Village like he has
done every year since 2014. " He
was there to " express his religious
28 Parks & Recreation | APRIL 2 0 2 3
liberty, his freedom of speech, as
an American citizen. "
Grant positioned
In the case of Grant v. City
of Philadelphia, the plaintiff
brought a Fourth Amendment
claim against Philadelphia
police officers, as well as a
claim of municipal liability
against the defendant City of
Philadelphia.
with children. Some of the vendors
expressed concerns about Grant's
behavior,
some
calling him
a
" troublemaker. " In addition, some
tourists at the Christmas Village
thought " there's a crazy guy here. "
Grant acted alone, speaking to
himself approximately
10 feet away from the
LOVE sign, in the direction of City
Hall, in the southeast quadrant of
Love Park. He stood in the midst
of a number of Christmas Village
booths
containing vendors. The
Christmas Village was described
as " very, very busy " with " a lot of
people around, " including families
| PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
the crowd " with an elevated voice,
but was not screaming or speaking
loudly. " He held a " stick " at his
feet with a " big " sign that stated:
" If you die tonight, are you going
to heaven or hell? Come up and
ask me. " In addition, Grant had
a wood and straw " collection basket "
with " a dollar folded on the
crevice of the corner in case someone
wanted to throw something in
there. " Grant claimed he " wasn't
out there for money, " but he kept

April 2023 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2023 - Parks & Recreation

April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Intro
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover1
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover2
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 1
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 2
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 3
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 4
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 5
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 6
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 7
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 8
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 9
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 10
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 11
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 12
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 13
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 14
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 15
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 16
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 17
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 18
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 19
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 20
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 21
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 22
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 23
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 24
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 25
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 26
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 27
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 28
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 29
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 30
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 31
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 32
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 33
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 34
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 35
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 36
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 37
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 38
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 39
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 40
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 41
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 42
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 43
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 44
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 45
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 46
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 47
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 48
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 49
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 50
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 51
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 52
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 53
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 54
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 55
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 56
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover3
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - Cover4
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2021
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