A veteran US police officer will receive $75,000 compensation after he was suspended for praying in protest outside an abortion clinic during ’40 Days for Life’ Campaign.
Newsroom (31/01/2022 1:00 PM, Gaudium Press) The city of Louisville in the United States will pay $75,000 to a police officer in compensation for violating his constitutional and civil rights.
Officer Matt Schrenger was suspended from work, stripped of his police standing, and subjected to investigation after he prayed the rosary, in silence, in front of an abortion clinic in February 2021.
The police officer was off duty when he prayed with his father in front of the EMW Women’s surgical center about a year ago. Schrenger was participating in the “40 days for life” campaign.
According to a letter last June, the Louisville Police Department showed “concern” because Schrenger was participating in a “protest” in uniform.
The compensation comes three months after Schrenger filed a federal lawsuit against the city, the police chief and the city police.
Schrenger’s attorney, Matt Heffron, called the actions filed against the serviceman (a 13-year veteran of the police force) “a significant and inexcusable violation of a loyal officer’s Constitutional rights.”
The officer’s lawyer also demonstrated that the suspension clearly revealed discrimination over Schrenger’s pro-life stance and accused the police department of a double standard.
“He did not engage in any political protest on duty – he prayed quietly. Yet Officer Schrenger was punished for this peaceful, private behavior,” Heffron added.
Furthermore, the lawyer made it clear that Schrenger received different treatment from other police officers who did participate actively in other political protests.
“The treatment of Officer Schreger was particularly galling considering other Louisville police officers previously had marched, while on-duty and in uniform, in political protests that apparently were approved by the police department,” he said. “He was treated very differently than other officers who had undeniably engaged in true political protest and activism while participating in LGBT and Black Lives Matter demonstrations.”
According to the Thomas More Society, responsible for the legal defense of the indemnified serviceman, open-records requests showed that those other officers faced no suspension or any kind of discipline whatsoever.
With files from CNA.
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
