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ACLU Files Lawsuit Against Indiana War Memorials Commission

Last updated on Saturday, September 1, 2007

(INDIANAPOLIS) - The Indiana office of the American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against the Indiana War Memorials Commission, accusing it of ousting homeless individuals from the downtown parks and plazas it oversees.

The lawsuit was filed by a homeless man who was sitting on a ledge around monument circle, when he was asked to leave by a commission police officer, who allegedly told him that homeless people weren't allowed to "loiter" around the circle. A few days later, the same man was told to leave again, and issued a trespassing notice, baring him from any of the parks and memorials controlled by the commission.

Ken Falk at the ACLU says this is not an isolated case. He says it's unconstitutional for the commission to kick out people who appear homeless when they aren't bothering anyone and not breaking any laws.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in U.S. Federal Court.

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