Officer Claims Order to Remove Protesters Was Unconstitutional
KUTZTOWN, Pa. — A police officer from Kutztown University made an appeal in federal court, claiming that an order he had been given to remove anti-abortion and anti-gay protesters from campus was unconstitutional. Cpl. Steve Armbruster was relieved of his duties and suspended for five days without pay after refusing to carry out the order.
The group of 15 protesters began demonstrating on campus without permission from the university and initially faced disorderly conduct charges, PhillyBurbs.com reports. Those charges were later dismissed
Armbruster stated that the order he received to remove the group could have violated their civil rights and subjected him to liability. In 2010, U.S. District Judge C. Darnell Jones II Jones ruled that Armbruster was serving in his official capacity, and therefore his rights were not violated.
Armbruster is currently running for Carbon County sheriff.
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