The city prosecutor has dismissed disorderly conduct charges against Chris Young, the mayoral candidate's lawyers announced on Friday.
Young was arrested in November at a health-care forum in Andrews Dining Hall during which he tossed a pro-life video at Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., and refused to relinquish the microphone at the request of the forum's moderator and police officers.
"I'm a free man again," Young said. "It's been a hard battle."
Young said he is "seriously considering" pursuing civil charges against the University.
"They've obviously violated my freedom of speech rights and freedom of religion rights, but also they've suppressed speech that is based on issues that involve race," he said. "That is a constitutional violation that can't be overlooked."
Young said he is hoping to take action against the University under a federal law that allows for the prosecution of anyone who causes a citizen's constitutional rights to be violated.
Young said the University has not yet contacted him about its December order that he not enter University property. The order was issued in a "retaliatory manner" for his vocal opposition to the arming of Brown police and the University's tax-exempt status, Young said.
"Their agenda, clearly, is also tied to my desire to investigate Ruth Simmons and her role with Goldman Sachs as well as her role on the Council on Foreign Relations and why these university presidents are making so much money," he said.
Now that the case is dismissed, Young said he feels the University should rescind the notice not to trespass that has prohibited him from entering Brown's campus and any building or property owned or leased by Brown.
In January, Vice President for Public Affairs and University Relations Marisa Quinn told The Herald the restriction would continue "until the Department of Public Safety deems that the individual is no longer a threat to the safety and security of the campus."
"The charge against me was dismissed," Young said, adding that the University no longer has grounds to prohibit him from entering University property. "I have had no due process whatsoever when it comes to this order against me. Clearly, I am not guilty of anything. I committed no crime, and I am a political candidate who has the right to campaign, but they've restricted me from one-third of the city."
The no-trespass order remains in effect, Quinn wrote in an e-mail to The Herald.
"This issue will not disappear just because we won this case," Young said. "There needs to be an example set in regards to policies that stop free speech in public forums like this and that violate the ability of a candidate to campaign in a city."
Young said he will be "going onto the property adjacent to Brown University" later this week to see if police arrest him, but he declined to share more details.
