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Minneapolis (AP)

Pride Festival tries to bar anti-gay evangelist

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The organizers of the Twin Cities Pride Festival are trying to stop an evangelist from attending.

Brian Johnson says he just wants to hand out Bibles at the festival at Loring Park in Minneapolis, and to discuss his beliefs, which include opposition to homosexuality.

But Pride Festival organizers say they have the right to keep Johnson off the grounds because they paid more than $36,000 for the use of the park. Festival manager Jim Kelley says Johnson is free to preach his message across the street.

The Minneapolis Park Board is backing the activist on free speech grounds, so the festival organziers are going to court Wednesday seeking an injuction to reverse that decision.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)