Several lawsuits are targeting the National Archives building and the National Air and Space Museum after security guards ordered visitors to remove pro-life clothing, CNBC reported.
The National Archives and Records Administration and the Smithsonian Institution issued statements Friday apologizing for the incidents, which took place during last month's March for Life demonstration in Washington, D.C.
"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," the NARA wrote.
"NARA policy expressly allows all visitors to wear t-shirts, hats, buttons, etc. that display protest language, including religious and political speech. We are actively investigating to determine what happened."
NARA said it would not comment on the lawsuit.
The Smithsonian told OSV News that a security guard "mistakenly told young visitors that their pro-life hats were not permitted in the museum." The guard has since had "immediate retraining."
The American Center for Law & Justice is leading a group of more than a dozen conservative organizations who are seeking justice on the episodes, alleging that the plaintiffs' First and Fifth Amendment rights were denied.
According to one of the lawsuits, a guard at the Air and Space Museum told several of the plaintiffs from Our Lady of the Rosary Church and School in Greenville, South Carolina, that they were "about to make" his day.
The guard is further alleged to have said that the First Amendment "does not apply" in the museum building.
Meanwhile, NARA guards are accused of asking a separate group in another lawsuit "to remove all pro-life attire" or cover their shirts, which included messages like "Life is a Human Right" and "LIFE always WINS."
Wendilee Walpole Lassiter, an instructor at Liberty University's School of Law, said she witnessed individuals wearing pro-choice clothing go unnoticed while her pro-life group was accosted.
The lawsuits come after Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Tim Scott of South Carolina, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina asked Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch in a Monday letter for more information on the recent events.
"As a federal entity and the recipient of more than $1 billion in federal funds every year, there should be no debate as to whether the First Amendment applies to the Smithsonian," the letter read.
"We are deeply concerned about this unjust expulsion of young Americans from museums – subsidized with taxpayer dollars – for wearing apparel that your staff disagreed with."
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