The National Archives has issued a formal apology to a group of pro-life supporters who filed a lawsuit against the administration alleging that they were ordered to remove or cover their clothing bearing pro-life messages during a visit.
The National Archives and Records Administration reached a preliminary agreement in the lawsuit, according to court records obtained by The New York Post.
The formal apology from the administration acknowledged the irony of the incident, in which those trying to express the views of the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights were not allowed to do so in the building that houses the documents.
“As the home to the original Constitution and Bill of Rights, which enshrine the rights of free speech and religion, we sincerely apologize for this occurrence,” a statement from the NARA shared.
Now, as part of the agreement, the plaintiffs in the suit have been offered a personal tour of the National Archives Museum to go with a personal apology to those who were told they could not wear their pro-life messages while at the museum, according to the documents filed on Tuesday.
Protest language, which includes political and religious speech, is allowed inside the museum, whether on shirts, buttons, hats, or other articles of clothing. The NARA affirmed this on Tuesday, saying that staff and security officers at the museum have been reminded of this policy.
The incident in the lawsuit, filed by the American Center for Law and Justice, occurred last month when it alleged that a group of visitors, who had been participating in the March for Life, were confronted inside the museum for what their clothing said.
“Earlier this week, a lawsuit was filed against the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) stating that on the morning of January 20, 2023, the day of the March for Life, several visitors to our museum in Washington, D.C., were told by NARA security officers ‘to remove or cover their attire because of their pro-life messages,‘” NARA said in a statement.
The agreement for the in-person apology and personal tour came after a “good-faith, arms-length negotiation,” the documents say, the Post reported.
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