A Christian street preacher’s arrest for peacefully citing Bible verses at a Pride event exposes the growing hostility toward religious freedom in America, even as charges were ultimately dropped after video evidence vindicated his First Amendment rights.
Religious Liberty Under Attack at Pride Event
Damon Atkins was exercising his fundamental First Amendment rights when Reading police arrested him on June 6, 2023, for simply holding a sign and citing Bible verses at an LGBTQ Pride event. The street preacher’s peaceful demonstration represented exactly the kind of religious expression our Constitution protects, yet law enforcement treated him like a criminal. This incident reveals how woke ideology has infected even basic police training, turning officers against citizens exercising their God-given rights.
https://share.google/Zn2cU8e6OD1Ct2oXP
Video Evidence Exposes Police Overreach
The viral video footage proved crucial in exposing the injustice of Atkins’ arrest and forced authorities to acknowledge their mistake. After reviewing the evidence, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office quietly dropped all charges, recognizing they had no legal grounds for prosecution. The footage showed Atkins behaving peacefully while police escalated the situation unnecessarily, demonstrating how law enforcement has become weaponized against Christians who dare to speak biblical truth in public spaces.
Conservative Officials Push Back Against Anti-Christian Bias
Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach courageously called out the arrest as “unlawful” and suggested potential legal action against the city and police department. His willingness to defend religious liberty stands in stark contrast to the cowardly silence from many Republican officials who refuse to confront anti-Christian persecution. Atkins himself responded with grace, publicly stating he harbors no hatred and was motivated by Christian love, embodying the very values under attack by radical activists.
Pattern of Persecution Threatens Constitutional Rights
This arrest fits a disturbing pattern of Christians being criminally charged for peacefully expressing their faith at LGBTQ events across America and internationally. The research notes similar incidents involving Pastor Derek Reimer in Canada, where religious protesters face increasing hostility from authorities. Such cases represent a coordinated assault on the First Amendment, using selective enforcement to silence conservative Christians while protecting leftist speech. Patriots must recognize this systematic erosion of constitutional protections before religious liberty disappears entirely.
The Reading incident serves as a wake-up call for conservatives who value religious freedom and constitutional rights. While Atkins ultimately prevailed, his case demonstrates how easily law enforcement can abuse their authority to suppress Christian speech when pressured by woke activists and their radical agenda.
Sources:
Man arrested while citing Bible verse in protest of Pride event, then charges dropped