Anti-Gay Signs Violated Ordinance, Judge Says

By The Tampa Tribune
Published: August 28, 2008

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CLEARWATER --

A Pinellas County judge Wednesday ruled that five men wielding anti-gay signs at St. Petersburg's gay pride parade in 2007 violated the city's sign ordinance.

Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Henry Andringa put off his decision after a court proceeding in June because he wanted to determine whether the ordinance violates protesters' First Amendment rights.

Now that Andringa has decided there is nothing unconstitutional about the ordinance, he has ruled the five men violated the city law. The ordinance states that anyone who protests in a designated area cannot have a sign larger than their torso - it cannot be wider than their chest or longer than the distance from the shoulders to the hips.

That wasn't the case with the signs wielded by William G. Ball, Willie Lee Holt, Joshua Pettigrew, Douglas C. Pitts and Francis Primavera.

Sentencing for the five men is scheduled for Sept. 25.