LEXINGTON, Ky., May 2 (UPI) -- A Kentucky man wants to overturn a new state law aimed at a church that pickets military funerals as part of its fight against homosexuality.
Bart McQueary, who has participated in demonstrations with the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, filed a lawsuit in federal court, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. Six states have recently passed laws aimed at Westboro's funeral demonstrations, where church members carrying signs with "Thank God For Dead Soldiers" and similar messages, claim the United States is being punished for tolerating homosexuality.
The American Civil Liberties Union has joined the litigation.
"It's overbroad and it prohibits more speech than is necessary to prevent disruption," said Lili Lutgens, an ACLU lawyer representing McQueary.
Kentucky is one of six states who have adopted laws in the past year aimed at limiting protests. Under the Kentucky law, demonstrators must keep at least 300 feet away and are banned from singing, chanting, yelling, using a bullhorn or distributing leaflets without permission from the family or the person conducting a funeral service.
