ADF Senior Counsel Matt Bowman remarked, "No one should try to shut down Christmas carols on a public sidewalk, and we're pleased that that city has changed its tune and says it won't do that again. We will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that the carolers will be able to exercise their constitutionally protected freedom to sing tomorrow as planned."

Alliance Defending Freedom sent a letter, Monday, to the Falls Church Police Department after two officers told several Christmas carolers to stop singing on a public sidewalk outside of an abortion business. One of the carolers captured the officers on video informing the carolers that singing is prohibited under a noise ordinance and that they must cease singing.

The letter explained that police cannot use the ordinance to stop a constitutionally protected free speech activity, like common Christmas caroling, on a public sidewalk. The letter asks the city to rescind its ban on Christmas caroling in time for the carolers to return to the sidewalk at noon Wednesday.

"No city ordinance can trump the First Amendment. It's preposterous to think that any noise ordinance can or should be used to stop the singing of Christmas carols on a public sidewalk," said ADF Senior Counsel Matt Bowman. "We have come to an odd place in America when an abortion business thinks it can silence Christmas carolers. The police should not be willing to do their bidding."

In the video, two Falls Church police officers are seen speaking to the carolers while they are singing "Silent Night" at 900 S. Washington St. The officers inform the group that "the singing violates our ordinance." One of them then displays a copy of the city's noise ordinance, which states, "It shall be unlawful for any person to yell, shout, talk loudly, whistle or sing on any public street or private property in the city at any time, so as to cause a noise disturbance."

Mary Flores, the caroler recording the video, then asks for clarification from the officers, "It says here... that there's no singing allowed?" "Yes, ma'am," the officer replies. Flores's daughter then asks, "Isn't this public property?" The officer responds, "Unfortunately it's a noise ordinance violation, on public or private property."

After receiving the officers' threat of citation under the city ordinance, Flores and the group stopped their caroling for fear of prosecution. The ordinance imposes a penalty of "confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2,500.00, either or both."

The ordinance defines "noise" as "any sound which annoys or disturbs humans or which causes or tends to cause an adverse psychological or physiological effect on humans," and "noise disturbance" as "any sound which: (1) Endangers or injures the safety or health of humans or animals; (2) Annoys or disturbs a reasonable person of normal sensitivities..." (Screengrab via ADF/YouTube)

"The Constitution prohibits the City of Falls Church from threatening pro-lifers with fines and jail time for singing Christmas carols on the public sidewalk...," the ADF letter explains, concluding that the ordinance violates freedom of speech and is unconstitutionally vague.

"Christmas carols are obviously not a 'noise disturbance' to 'a reasonable person of normal sensitivities' as set forth in the ordinance... Instead, the officers imposed their Christmas-caroling ban solely as a response to the hostility of abortion facility staff to the pro-life Christian viewpoint... The fact that abortion workers are 'annoyed' or 'disturbed' by the singing of 'Silent Night' outside the location where they assist the destruction of infant humans is not a legitimate basis under the First Amendment to suppress the singing."

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Give Him 15: Mercy is Our New Currency

A Little Baby Girl Is Rescued from a Dumpster in Texas. A Dumpster

Nonprofit Asks Feds to Investigate Schools' 'Gender-Affirming Care' Practices

Latest Move by the President to Prevent a Government Shutdown Is Brilliant

Trump Closes Loophole Allowing Illegal Aliens to Drive Commercial Trucks After Tragic Accidents

Trump's Administration Finds 25,000 Missing Migrant Children

Autism, What We Know: Science Backs Up President Trump's Statements

Former FBI Director James Comey Indicted by Grand Jury for Obstruction in Russia Hoax Investigation

The Spiritual Battle is REAL!: Sean McDowell's Son Encounters a 'Demon' While Evangelizing in NYC

3 Suspects Arrested after Houston Youth Baseball Coach Shot during Pregame Prayer With Kids

Explosive Clash: Dearborn Mayor Attacks Resident Who Objected to Terrorist Street Naming

Economy: Second Quarter GDP Revised Up – Again – to Best Quarter Since 2023

DOGE Helped Uncover the Biggest Health Care Heist in American History

Charlie's TPUSA Campus Tours Continue as Virginia Tech Venue Fills to Max Capacity

Justice Department Seeks to Indict Former FBI Director James Comey before Looming Deadline, for Allegedly Lying to Congress

What Happens When You 'Pause' Your Child's Puberty? The Answer Is Even More Devastating Than You'd Think

Texas Bans Gender-Confused People from Using Opposite-Sex Facilities in Public Schools, Prisons

NBC Forced to Retract Claim that ICE Used 5-Year-Old Autistic Girl as 'Bait'; In Reality, Her Criminal Alien Father Abandoned Her in a Car and Agents Rescued the Child

President Trump Urges UN to Protect 'The Most Persecuted Religion on the Planet Today: Christianity'

Secret Service Finds, Dismantles Massive 'Telecommunications Threat' Near UN General Assembly in New York