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.
I will grant you “let them have their day” or place to present; but also, let others have their day or place.to be respectful and present their viewpoint. We don’t all have the same viewpoint. We could possibly learn from each other. An organization I belong to had their annual meetings this month, and one of the speakers spoke on finding your own voice. “Mariama Whyte delighted attendees during the morning Business Session with her empowering speech on the importance of finding your voice. She shared her journey towards finding her own voice, confidence, and strength. The key message she imparted can be summed up with letters in the word “VOICE.”
V – Visualize how you would like to make the world a better place.
O – Offer yourself in the service of others.
I – Impact & Influence those around you.
C – Connect with yourself. Remember who you are.
E – Empower your communities. Give people inspiration to change.”
If we are being forced to listen to only one voice and continually being told or telling others their voice does not count, how will we continue to grow as a country?
A pride of lions, lionesses, and unPlanned cubs playing in gay parade on the African savanna, but not the Isle of Lesbos, perhaps under the Rainbow’s albinophobic symbols and rhetoric as is common on the dark continent. #HateLovesAbortion
Holy ‘thou shalt not bear false witness’, Batman!”
Imagine what would have happened if Atkins had been black and protesting a Trump rally.
He would never have been arrested. Hell, the FBI and Justice Dept. would have probably created something else to harass Trump about.
Bingo
Or he would have been arrested and MSNBC would have gone berserk and declared it white supremacy.
Don’t expect our current DOJ to engage in such an action.
Open-air, public events are magnets for heckling. Nobody owns American streets, and every American should know it.
There are ways to avoid heckling: make it a closed event in a secure location or host the event at a free-speech venue that forbids heckling (like Stanford used to be). It’s that simple.
The real point of this Pride event was to demonstrate that:
(1) The left does own the street.
(2) Leftie knuckle draggers will arrest you or beat you up if you don’t agree.
(3) Leftie knuckle draggers are too cheap to rent their own space.
Glad the knuckle draggers lost this round.
“The violation of Atkins’ rights should result in something more than a shrug and dismissal of the charges.
“Should”
But won’t.
Police departments need to be forced to attend seminars on the Bill of Rights.
Seminars???? This is remedial civics. If you make to the point of being given a gun and badge, you know this simple stuff. This is great example for stripping law enforcement from their privilege of immunity. Damon Atkins should be able to sue the arresting officer, and City, for civil damages. Until individuals are held accountable, nothing will improve.
This appears to me that the FACE Act is completely unconstitutional. The idea that this “Act” could have passed Congress shows that there are many in the legislative branch of the national government that lack the ability to read. I would suggest that those who voted in favor of that law should write a 1000-word essay about the meaning of the First Amendment. And also that said essay should be above the intelligence level of a third-grader.
Sue the city and the police department they know better.
Sadly, it’s the only way that many Police Departments learn…..
There is very little that can be more damaging than a law enforcement officer without integrity. They are the ones that give the whole profession a poor reputation.
have that feeling we are living in 1930’s Germany, 1970’s China, 1920 USSR?
Guyventner, absolutely.
Should SUE and RECEIVE $100’s of Millions!
Oh how nice, the Democrat fascist Gestapo let one person off.
How about the other 1000’s of political PROSECUTIONS?
Being a former LEO, now the Sgt. Should be charged with Civil Rights violation. If there was such a thing!!
LOL…with a 100% Democrat DOJ/AGs/Judges? not happening
Making a false claim to the police (of material consequence) is a felony. So, why doesn’t this law apply to a sworn police officer who is the one trying to dupe his supervisor or the DA’s office? McClure filed a false report to the police, which resulted in charges against a citizen, and this was done to cover-up an unlawful use of that same policeman’s authority.
I though nobody was above the law. Yet you rarely ever see a police officer charged criminally for filing a false account of what happened in a report. They might get fired, but that’s all?
The Police Dept should be sued for false arrest. Straightforward evidence. The arresting officer who gave false account should be FIRED. Reading Police should state there is no room for such officers on the Reading Police force.
As a result of this video, every arrest that officer has ever made and ever makes in the future should be challenged. The Officer is obviously not truthful, and makes up facts to for the charges as he goes along.
Let’s Get Biden To Quit!
Consider the alternative!
Cops are under attack.
People want to support them.
But then a cop does something both stupid and malevolent – he frames an innocent man for a felony. Potentially costing that man years in jail and a huge sum of money.
If cops don’t police their own, they don’t deserve our support.
Just as Jesus said would happen … public officials disgracing themselves …
God bless, C-Marie
“Let them have their day” — a nice sentiment. Maybe Antifa and the trans mob should think about that before they launch their next violent protest against anyone who disagrees with them (because disagreements make them “feel unsafe”).
We are no longer a Christian nation, never mind one that should revere God with supplications, as George Washington to Abraham Lincoln encouraged Americans regularly.
Americans get everything they deserve just as the Jews got when they turned their backs to Yahweh after being freed from slavery under the Pharaoh of Egypt. We are indeed lost in the desert without any hope. May God have mercy on us all for creating so many golden calves