The Gospel Light Baptist Church will no longer be able to illegally gather and preach over a loudspeaker in a New York public park. The church had previously set up weekly in Major Mark Park in Queens, preaching for hours at a time at people walking by.
FFRF learned that the church did not have a permit to gather in the park, and that even if they did, no amplification was allowed at all in the small community park. Attorney Madeline Ziegler sent a letter July 23 to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, requesting that the city enforce permit restrictions.
In a July 27 phone call, Mark Edwards, park manager for New York City District 12, said he would send parks enforcement directly to the church to advise them that they could not hold events without a permit and could not set up their public address system. FFRF's complainant confirmed on July 31 that the church had stopped harassing passersby.