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Today’s blacklisted American was arrested for quoting the Bible

Damon Atkins being arrested by McClure for quoting Bible
Atkins (r) being arrested by McClure for quoting Bible

They’re coming for you next: On June 3, 2023 there was a rally supporting the queer agenda in front of the Reading City Hall in Pennsylvania, partly instigated it appears by the endorsement of the city’s Democratic Party mayor, Eddie Moran. On the other side of the street were several Christians who vocally expressed their opposition to that rally.

Those Christians found themselves repeatedly harried by the police. As Matthew Wear noted, “I preached for 10 minutes or so until a tyrant cop laid hands on me and threatened to arrest me if I continued.” Soon thereafter a second Christian, Damon Atkins, began quoting the Bible in protest. That same policeman, Police Sergeant Bradley McClure, immediately arrested him.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, McClure claims that “[Atkins] was carrying a sign with a slogan written on it that showed his opposition to the event.” The video footage shows Atkins holding a sign that read “JESUS SAID GO AND SIN NO MORE.”

In the affidavit, McClure also claims that Atkins “began to yell to the people” attending the pride event. “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.” McClure added that Atkins “said he understood.”

But the video does not show Atkins agreeing to remain silent and Atkins told The Lancaster Patriot that he never agreed to McClure’s instructions.

The affidavit continues with McClure claiming that in less than a minute Atkins “resumed yelling derogatory comments to the people at the event.” The video records the only words from Atkins as “God is not the” immediately prior to McClure arresting him.

I have embedded the video taken by Wear below.

It is very clear the Christian counter-protesters did nothing but express their first amendment right to free speech. They certainly did nothing to disrupt the queer rally. Moreover, the video shows that McClure both exaggerated and lied about what happened in order to justify the illegal arrest.

Despite this, Mayor Moran, Democrat, immediately issued a statement supporting the arrest. So did the city’s police chief Richard Tornielli.

Nonetheless, the clear illegality of this arrest was quickly recognized by the Berks County district attorney, John T. Adams. Three days after the arrest his office issued a statement, dropping all charges. Moreover, Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach added this warning:

“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.”

Whether Atkins will take legal action against McClure, Moran, or the city of Reading remains unknown at this moment. What we do know is that the Democrats who run this city are firmly hostile to the first amendment and freedom of speech, and support arresting those who express opinions they don’t like. For these elected Democrats, nothing must interfere with the practice of their new state religion, worshiping Democrats unreservedly as they push the queer agenda on children.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 

The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

19 comments

  • Bb Wilson

    “Three days after the arrest his office issued a statement,”

    Was Atkins held in jail for three days? I looked it up and could not find a timeline. I along with many other people are hoping that an organization like the alliance defending freedom picks up the case and sues.

  • Bb Wilson: I don’t know if Atkins was held in jail those three days. Probably not. However, he was charged with a crime for those three days, regardless.

  • Cotour

    They (The radical Leftists in the form of today’s Democrat Party) are brazenly and freely showing all exactly who they are.

    Each and every day.

    How do we fight political warfare in America? LCM.

    Lawyers, Courts and Money.

    How brazen and now even more disrespectful have the radical Democrats become?

    https://nypost.com/2023/06/13/rose-montoya-now-barred-from-white-house/

    https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/Rose-7.jpg?resize=768,1152&quality=75&strip=all

  • Col Beausabre

    I feel like I wasted my time serving for 25 years in the US Army to “Protect, Uphold and Defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, Foreign and DOMESTIC” (my emphasis).

    “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.” ” REALLY? Seems to me that Democrats/Liberals/Progressives routinely shout down those they oppose

  • Cotour

    Related:

    I will throw this in here: https://youtu.be/dkFfATBy0cw

  • Steve Richter

    off topic but a bit related. Here is someone who had his Amazon account and home automation devices shutdown because a delivery driver thought he heard a racial slur when making a delivery to the home.
    https://medium.com/@bjax_/a-tale-of-unwanted-disruption-my-week-without-amazon-df1074e3818b

  • tcnm

    This is a direct result of qualified immunity. In a just system, both cops would lose both their jobs and pension. They swore to uphold the constitution and they chose to violate that oath. It’s time for the Supreme Court to reverse the decisions that allow acts like this without punishment.

  • James Street

    Back in January President Trump did a rally in South Carolina. As he often does before leaving town he stopped at a fast food restaurant, this time a McDonalds. This is a wonderful 15 second video of one employee of the McDonald’s asking if she can pray for him and he accepts.
    https://mediarightnews.com/video-of-restaurant-worker-praying-over-donald-trump-as-he-kicks-off-his-2024-campaign-in-sc-receives-1-9m-views/

  • GWB

    A clear infringement of practice of religion.
    Also, no protest is generally considered to be “disruptive” unless mechanical aids are involved – bullhorns, PA systems, airhorns, etc. The mere human voice is generally considered to be of insufficient volume over a sustained period of time to be “disruptive” or even “disturbing the peace” (except in specific circumstances, like standing outside someone’s house at night and screaming slurs at them). It’s kind of irrelevant that the officer lied, because what he lied about wouldn’t make it a valid arrest anyway.

    I think there needs to be a lawsuit against the city, the mayor, the chief of police, and the officer who arrested them (and who laid hands on the one pastor). It needs to center on religious discrimination AND speech. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to strip the cop of qualified immunity because his whole chain of command approved of the action.

    But hit them for millions in punitive damages. It’s the only way to make any change.

  • David Ross

    That fat donutmuncher looks like he’s close to retirement. I expect he’s looking forward to some cushy job with the city, who’ll look after him as long as he’s playing ball whilst on the force.
    And I’m sure the smug woman behind them has been signing up for all the mandatory DEI courses and even some voluntary ones. Beats workin’

  • Ranten N. Raven (there is truth in advertising!)

    Who is that lovely little Servant of Satan assisting with the arrest? She’s so demonicly-cute in that pony-tail!

  • Cotour

    “We were just doing what we were told to do”

    Sound familiar?

  • jim

    GWB
    June 14, 2023 at 6:34 am

    Indeed, it has to be punitive against the city for allowing its employees to behave with such disregard. The city has to be hed to account and be punished in such a way as to discourage future behavior like this. The shame is the citizens of the city will have to monitarily pay for the crimes of their elected officials and those hired by those officials.

  • Alton

    Contour

    I seem to remember that little Defense used at a place Called…..

    The Nuremberg Trials.

  • Cotour

    There is some validity to that statement, “I was just following orders”. Especially when you have a gun figuratively and literally pointed at your head and a known willingness to pull the trigger if ordered. There were I am sure people who did it because of that real threat and some who did it thinking it was a necessary evil that had to be done for existential reasons. And those who did it enthusiastically.

    These situations are not perfect by any means, and you can find yourself paying a dear price for actions taken directed by others.

    And this brings us to our Untied States and those within who are ordered to say violate a former president’s and others privacy both in his / their home and between them and their lawyers, front line enforcers for the current holders of political power.

    They were just following orders and the legal justification for doing so was and is being squeezed as tight as possible from the what is supposed to be objective tube of law and justice. And the justification is made because the current powers that be insist there is an existential threat to the country.

    Hitler made the same argument, Stalin made the same argument, Biden and those on the radical we must destroy America as founded in the pursuit of “equity”, “Social Justice”, “Restorative Justice”, reparations and retribution Leftist / Democrats made the same argument.

    There must at some point in this process where those empowered within say, ENOUGH! We will not carry out these un and anti American Subjective politically motivated in the political warfare ongoing in the country.

    At some point those who enforce will have to look in the mirror and recall the oath that they took to the Constitution and not a man or political movement.

    At some point.

  • Edward

    GWB wrote: “It’s kind of irrelevant that the officer lied, because what he lied about wouldn’t make it a valid arrest anyway.”

    To this case, it may be irrelevant, but it shows how far the police will go in enforcing the tyrannical cause, and how far they will go when violating the Constitution that they are duty-bound to uphold. Give a guy and a gal some power, and it goes right to their heads.

    From the video:
    “This is what they’re doing in Reading City. Tyrant cops threatening older men and myself.”

    In Reading City, the cops are proving to We the People that they are the ones with the power of God. Shut up, and sit down.

  • GaryMike

    I was raised a Christian.

    Then, I was once a decided atheist.

    Now, I’m mostly agnostic,.

    I married a Muslim.

    I stand in defense of Christians.

    And non-militant Muslims.

    I’m not a religious guy (I’ve gotten it from both sides of the fence). I’m just trying to get along.

    Why do you folks insist on making getting along so complicated?

  • pzatchok

    You folks????

  • Cotour

    Related: HOW DO YOU UNDERMINE A CONSTITUTION AND COUNTRY?

    https://www.sigma3ioc.com/blog

    You attack the fundamentals and start to arrest your opposition.

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