According to the Berks County District Attorney, all charges against the Pennsylvania preacher who was jailed after speaking out at an LGBTQ+ Pride march have been dismissed. They wrote on Facebook that their office has withdrawn disorderly conduct charges brought against Damon Atkins after evaluating the video and the related case law.
https://twitter.com/HateForFeds/status/1666834792862609408?s=20
According to the Lancaster Patriot, Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach stated that the arrest could result in legal action being taken against the city and police department.
“From what I have seen thus far I believe this was an unlawful arrest and could open the City of Reading and their police department to legal action.”
It’s no wonder, considering the affidavit of probable cause’s (shown below) major deceptions and lies the police sergeant wrote in it.
In the video, Police Sergeant Bradley T. McClure arrests Atkins for providing a principled protest of the event, where he could only say ‘God is not-‘ before being handcuffed and taken away.
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELThe cop violated Atkins’s First Amendment right to Free Speech and Freedom of Religion and the Right of the People Peaceably to Assemble.
WATCH:
Police Corruption! Christian Arrested in PA for Preaching These Three Words at Pride Event: ‘God is Not-‘https://t.co/Z2aTDGpxxh pic.twitter.com/055y86Ubyl
— Protestia (@Protestia) June 4, 2023
According to Atkins, he was about to quote a passage from 1 Corinthians 14:33 – “God is not the author of confusion” – but he stopped when he was shackled by McClure.
According to McClure’s probable cause affidavit, “[Atkins] was carrying a sign with a slogan written on it that showed his opposition to the event.”
— Protestia (@Protestia) June 6, 2023
In the video, Atkins is seen holding a banner that reads, “JESUS SAID GO AND SIN NO MORE.”
McClure also states in the affidavit that Atkins “began to yell to the people” at the pride celebration.
“I immediately approached him and told him that, while he was free to stand on that side of the street and hold his sign,” McClure wrote in the affidavit, “he could not cross the street nor yell comments intended to disrupt the event.”
But the First Amendment says that he does have the right to yell comments intended to disrupt the event. For goodness’ sake, how else do you conduct a protest? It’s funny how the same cop probably would do nothing if things were in reverse and LGBTQ people were across the street shouting down a prayer vigil for people who suffer from gender dysphoria.
McClure went on to say that Atkins “said he understood.” However, there is no evidence on the video of Atkins agreeing to be silent, and Atkins told The Lancaster Patriot that he never agreed to McClure’s instructions.
The affidavit goes on to say that in less than a minute, Atkins “resumed yelling derogatory comments to the people at the event.”
The footage captures Atkins’ only remarks as “God is not the” just before McClure arrests him.
There’s more to this story, which is why the DA dropped the charges. The cop was allegedly told by higher-ups, probably the mayor who sponsored the Pride event, to not tolerate anyone’s free speech against the mental patients across the street. Still, the officer jumped the gun and arrested Atkins for doing nothing wrong.
