I won’t pretend that I particularly enjoy impromptu religious sermons in public places. But regardless of my personal feelings, I believe people have the right to free expression, including religion and speech.

But live and let live is apparently not the philosophy of New Jersey cops. When they saw two people preaching on the property of the New Jersey Transit system, they had to step in. The Transit officers said that they asked for the preachers’ identification because they were not behaving like normal commuters.

"When the officers asked Karns and Parker for valid identification, neither complied. The officers then arrested the ministers on charges on obstruction for their refusal to show the officers ID. The two preachers were also charged with defiant trespass for preaching without a permit."

"Under New Jersey law, “noncommercial” expression on state property requires a permit."