Georgia town to pay $55K after arresting man with ‘God bless the homeless vets’ sign

August 6, 2024

The city of Alpharetta, Georgia has agreed to amend its panhandling regulations and to pay $55,000 to a veteran who was arrested for holding a sign that read “God bless the homeless vets.”

The Christian Post reports that details were released on Monday regarding a legal settlement between retired truck drive and Army veteran Jeff Gray and the city of Alpharetta. That settlement was reached in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division.

Gray was detained, arrested and charged in 2022 with having allegedly violated the city’s anti-panhandling ordinance. Gray filed a federal lawsuit in January 2023 against the city and two officers with the city’s Dept. of Public Safety.

Alpharetta agreed to pay $55,000 in legal fees and other costs, $41,250.00 of which will go to Gray, and the remaining sum will go to The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).

According to the Christian Post, under the legal agreement the city has also agreed to amend its rules on panhandling to protect First Amendment rights and provide training for law enforcement to respect said rights.

Gray had strong praise for FIRE, saying, “The City of Alpharetta stomped on my right to freedom of speech and they would have gotten away with it if not for FIRE,” Gray added,”FIRE taught Alpharetta that everyone has the right to free speech, including people who are poor or homeless. Working with the wonderful team at FIRE has been one of the best experiences of my life.”

Photo: top, Credit: YouTube/Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression