The Berks County District Attorney’s Office has confirmed that it is dropping charges against Damon Atkins after the preacher was arrested citing the Bible in protest of an LGBTQ Pride event in Reading, Pennsylvania. The only reason that the charges were dropped is that a third party videotaped the scene and disproved the account of the arresting officer. Ironically, Atkins was reciting 1 Corinthians 14:33 that begins “For God is not the author of confusion.” That role appears to rest with the Reading police, which processed a wildly exaggerated account of the encounter.
Atkins was arrested on June 6 for “disorderly conduct, engaged in fighting.” However, a video of Atkins’ encounter with the police officer disproved the officer’s statement, as acknowledged in a press release.
For many, the case is likely reminiscent of the arrest of the woman for praying near an abortion clinic in Britain. Fortunately, this case was dropped.
Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach admitted that the arrest of Atkins was “unlawful” and “could open the City of Reading and their police department to legal action.”
In the YouTube video, Atkins is shown talking with Sgt. Bradley McClure as he proclaims Bible verses. McClure clearly wants him to stop but Atkins notes “this is public property.”
McClure tells him “Let them have their day.”
That is a fair sentiment but it did not convince Atkins who responded “Oh, I’m respecting.” McClure makes no head way in the conversation and walks away before turning back as Atkins resumes preaching. He says “That’s it, you’re done” and arrests him to the applause of people in the Pride Event.
What is notable is that, absent the videotape, Atkins would have had a difficult time refuting that he engaged in fighting. What is equally notable is the lack of any public statement on the repercussions for an officer making such a false charge. This was clearly a protest that was protected under the First Amendment. The violation of Atkins’ rights should result in something more than a shrug and dismissal of the charges.
People in this country don’t value free speech anymore. It’s terrifying.
Should have never been arrested in the 1st place. You dopes never heard of the 1st admendment?
The problem with most cops is they are weak minded. All they have to be told is how they are better than everyone else, or threaten their bloated pensions and they will do any bidding of their superiors…
Please cite your reference supporting this claim. “The problem with most cops is they are weak minded”
this case shows at least one cop being weak minded (or stupid)
Sorry about the ticket you received.
Jonathan, How about help him (and the rest of us) out but suing them for violating his civil rights and getting the cop fired for not knowing the law. That’s right, fired for being a dumb ass.
Clearly a case of false arrest, Sue the city for big money, Sue the cop for his badge, Have the officer arrested for the crime he perpetrated on an innocent man, and lying in his official capacity.
I have long said it perhaps over 20 years as long as you have any bad cop and the other cops don’t out the man or woman that makes them all bad cops I’m sorry people don’t like that but that’s exactly what it is if you’re a good cop and you see bad cops and you do nothing that makes you a bad cop too.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying smiling when one of them gets gunned down but I’ve stood by this for like the last 25 years if one cop is bad and none of the cops do anything about it they’re all bad and that’s a fact they can get that shit cleaned up if they want to they don’t want to cuz they’re lazy they don’t need to be cops.
Seems like the cops should be indicted for felonious “unlawful imprisonment”. I’ll start holding my breath…
This is the problem with a good group of cops. They ALL falsify their reports and the judge sides with them because apparently a LEO’s word is worth more than a common pleb. It’s a 2-tiered justice system and the perp is often behind the 8-ball before they ever get into the courtroom. . Near my locality, in Antioch CA, there has been a big upheaval with the police department over racist text messages. That aside, what REALLY stuck out to me when I read through the messages is that in one of the messages one of the officers talks about falsifying his reports and making false statements about the person in the report in order to get them processed faster- extremely similar to this situation. I’m afraid it’s too late to pretend that this is the minority if I’m reading about report falsification from coast to coast. I’m not an ACAB guy; in fact I understand the need for LEO’s in any setting. I’m conservative; but I have seen enough abuse of police power over the years that I am extremely distrustful of the process, and the Police at large, and the ability of LEO’s to be objective in their jobs. All I’ve learned over the years in dealin with LEO’s and the Government Industral Complex is that it’s best just to NOT get caught.
Take them to court, including the officer, to the tune of one-hundred million dollars. Do not let them get away with lying about what happened like they did to all the J6ers
Yes, he should sue for damages!!
Don’t kid yourself, the Judge is Jewish, and gay, it will be thrown out. The US is a banana republic. Since 2008.
You mean a homosexual pervert?