By The Blogging Hounds
A Tennessee man was blocked from holding a prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk, the late conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder, after city officials in Morristown denied his permit request. The decision has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about religious liberty and the First Amendment.
Permit Denied Amid Controversy
Brad Tumey submitted a permit request on Monday, five days after Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, seeking to host a prayer vigil on the city’s green space in Morristown, a city of approximately 30,000 residents.
City officials, however, denied the request, citing a local ordinance that prohibits the green space from being used for “political or religious” activities.
Represented by First Liberty Institute, a national religious-liberty legal advocacy group, Tumey sent a formal letter demanding that city officials reconsider their denial or face potential litigation.
“The City’s blanket ban on religious activity abridges both his (I) freedom of speech and (II) the free exercise of his religion,” the letter reads, addressed to Mayor Gary Chesney, Assistant City Manager Andrew Ellard, and City Attorney Lauren Carroll.
City Response
Assistant City Manager Ellard told The Washington Times that the city has not fully reviewed the demand letter. He also noted that the permit application, submitted on Friday, had not yet undergone the standard review process, which typically requires submission at least 30 days in advance.
Ellard added, “Regardless of the nature of the application, the farmers market and downtown green are unavailable on Friday as the space transitions from its daytime use as a farmers market and preparations begin for a Saturday event that has been on the calendar for several months.”
He also emphasized, “The city neither permits nor denies the right of individuals to peacefully assemble. Several public parks in the immediate vicinity of downtown are also well equipped for such assemblies.”
Ellard concluded with condolences: “We join in grieving the loss of Charlie Kirk and any other such lapse as we have seen in our nation’s sense of civility. The community needs opportunities to come together, and we are thankful for those in the Morristown area that have organized such gatherings to honor others and pray for all.”
National Outcry Over Religious Freedom
The denial comes amid a wave of nationwide prayer vigils held in honor of Kirk following his assassination. Kirk, 31, was a conservative voice known for advocating free speech, constitutional principles, and student engagement through Turning Point USA.
His funeral is scheduled for September 21 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, the 60,000-seat home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.
Legal experts and advocates warn that Morristown’s blanket restriction could set a dangerous precedent, potentially violating the constitutional rights of citizens to gather for religious expression, even in public spaces traditionally reserved for civic events.
“This is exactly the kind of infringement on First Amendment freedoms that should alarm every American,” said a spokesperson from First Liberty Institute. “Prayer, memorials, and peaceful assemblies are core rights. Blocking them because of content or viewpoint is unconstitutional.”
As the nation continues to mourn Charlie Kirk, the Morristown controversy has reignited debates about government overreach, free speech, and the protections guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution.
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