East Lansing to Pay $825K for Violating Farmer’s Free Speech

When the city of East Lansing excluded someone from a farmer’s market because of his religious beliefs, they violated his right to free speech and freedom of religion. The exclusion of Country Mill Farms owner Stephen Tennes from the farmers market because he refused to play host to same-sex wedding ceremonies at his farm, detailed in a 2017 lawsuit, will cost East Lansing $825,000 in damages and attorney fees. U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan Judge Paul Maloney said the city can enforce vendor guidelines against Tennes but can’t ban him from participating in the farmer’s market because of his religious beliefs on same-sex marriages.