Veteran Jeff Gray is now enacting his third lawsuit against the Port Wentworth, Georgia, Police Department. Officer Robert Hemminger is alleged to know that Gray’s protest of holding a cardboard sign reading “God Bless the Homeless Vets” sign outside a city hall was well within his rights to do so.
The arrest back in 2021 has been a tumultuous one for Gray.
Well-known in the area for refusing to provide ID and for going after law enforcement for overusing their “power,” he has been an advocate for Veterans at the crux of his battles. Helping him in his suits is the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). The free speech defense group has now filed three separate suits on behalf of Gray.
According to FIRE, Gray said, “In Port Wentworth, Georgia, my rights were violated upon the whim of government employees. Now I am honored to be working with FIRE to ensure that never happens again.”
Per the lawsuit, “Port Wentworth Police Sgt. Robert Hemminger knew that Jeffrey Gray wasn’t doing anything wrong or unlawful when Gray stood outside of Port Wentworth’s City Hall displaying a sign reading ‘God Bless the Homeless Vets.’” Sgt. Hemminger told Gray as much, and he told the employees inside City Hall the same thing: Gray was not doing anything wrong.”
Yet the employees insisted that he couldn’t display such a sign outside their doors. To them, it appeared as if he was challenging city hall, their very jobs, and their ability to work as needed.
A ridiculous thought and one that the American people should not entertain.
