Preacher Sentenced After Damning People To Hell
CLINTON, Iowa - A man who calls himself a street preacher has been found guilty of disorderly conduct for repeatedly yelling at a crowd of people watching a Halloween parade.
A jury took less than an hour on Monday to convict Mike Anderson, of Clinton. He was fined $100 plus court costs for refusing to follow police orders to lower his voice Oct. 27 during the city's annual downtown Mardi Gras parade. He had been yelling ?you're damned to hell? to parade-goers.
?I refuse to pay,? Anderson said after his trial. ?I'm not going to pay a dime to a city that arrests a preacher for preaching the Gospel. I'll sit in jail. I'll rot.?
The judge said Anderson could be charged with contempt of court and jailed for up to 30 days if he fails to pay the fine within 60 days.
Anderson was arrested after a police officer saw him standing on a decorative fountain and shouting into a crowd at the Halloween parade. Anderson refused to stop yelling at people, telling them they must repent or go to hell, the officer said.
The crowd applauded when officers took Anderson into custody.
Police said Anderson crossed the line from free speech to disorderly conduct with his volume, language and the location of his message.
Anderson often stands in front of the Clinton County Courthouse holding signs with religious messages.
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