A pastor arrested for reading the Bible in public has won a significant legal victory. Matthew Meinecke, known as “The Seattle Preacher,” faced multiple arrests in Seattle, Washington, simply for sharing Scripture in public spaces.
As believers, we are called to spread the Good News to all corners of the world. Yet, in these challenging times, those who answer this divine call often face fierce opposition. The story of Pastor Meinecke serves as a stark reminder of the growing hostility towards public expressions of faith, particularly when it comes to sharing God’s Word in the public square.
Pastor Meinecke’s ordeal began on June 24, 2022, the day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the landmark Dobbs decision. Meinecke saw the large protest gathering in downtown Seattle as an opportunity to share the Gospel. He took his Bible and began reading from the Book of John. However, his peaceful act of faith was met with immediate hostility.
“Some protesters started to crowd in around him, started saying some inflammatory, derogatory things, [and] made him feel uncomfortable,” explained Nate Kellum, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, who represented Meinecke in the legal battle that followed.
Undeterred, Meinecke moved to a different location and continued reading. This time, the response was even more aggressive. A protester reportedly grabbed Meinecke’s Bible and began tearing out its pages. When the pastor retrieved another Bible and resumed his reading, the situation escalated further.
“Antifa members got involved,” Kellum recounted. “They started to pick up Pastor Meinecke, [and] carried him around a block before dropping him on the cement.”
Despite the pain and danger, Meinecke’s determination to share God’s Word remained unshaken. He found another spot and began preaching once more. However, this time he was allegedly knocked down again. It was at this point that the police intervened – but not in the way one might expect.
Rather than protecting Meinecke’s right to free speech, the officers reportedly viewed him as “the problem.” When Meinecke tried to reason with them, asserting his First Amendment rights, he was arrested and held in a detention cell for several hours until the abortion rally had concluded.
#EXCLUSIVE: Earlier today, @SeaCityAttorney not filing obstruction charge against street evangelist @mattteamjesus. He was arrested twice last week for preaching during #RoeVsWade rally + #SeattlePride. Far left extremists ripped up his Bible and assaulted him. But they got away. pic.twitter.com/S4rFlHnKaH
— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) June 29, 2022
The reason given for the arrest was based on a troubling police policy. According to Kellum, if there was a hostile reaction to someone speaking, that speaker would be asked to leave or stop their activity. If they refused, as Meinecke did, they were seen as “committing a crime.”
“Instead of dealing with the individuals who are actually committing crimes, they were focusing in on a speaker who was really doing nothing wrong,” Kellum pointed out. “And here [is] Pastor Meinecke doing nothing but reading the Bible.”
Incredibly, just two days later, Meinecke found himself in handcuffs again at a separate event. This time, he was deemed a “public safety risk” for reading Scripture aloud near an event.
Meinecke shared his experience on social media, posting a video that showed police officers surrounding him as he read from the Bible. In the clip, an officer can be heard giving Meinecke a final warning to leave the area. When Meinecke refused, stating he was not in danger, he was promptly arrested to the cheers of the surrounding crowd.
SPD has enough resources to send 10 police officers to arrest a preacher reading his Bible in a public park. Because it’s such a horrible crime now! pic.twitter.com/pytbNDel9I
— BB (@mattteamjesus) June 27, 2022
The pastor later described the harrowing experience to journalist Jonathan Choe. “I got two Bibles ripped up, dragged, a barrier got thrown on top of me,” Meinecke recounted. “This was extremely violent.”
Despite the physical and emotional toll, Meinecke’s response was one of forgiveness. “I forgive them,” he said. “I don’t hold nothing against them.”
Meinecke’s unwavering faith and determination to stand for his rights led him to challenge these arrests in court. His perseverance has now paid off in what First Liberty Institute is calling a “complete victory for the pastor.”
Judge Barbara J. Rothstein granted Meinecke permanent injunctive relief from the unconstitutional police policy, along with compensatory damages for the wrongful arrests and nominal damages for the constitutional violations. The judge also awarded reasonable attorney fees and expenses.
This victory is significant not just for Meinecke, but for all who wish to exercise their First Amendment rights in public spaces. As Kellum explained, “Police have been put on notice that, if someone is peaceably speaking, you need to acknowledge those rights. You need to allow them to go forth with their First Amendment freedoms just like anyone else.”
As believers, it is crucial that we pray for our country, our authorities, and especially for those tirelessly spreading the Gospel in dangerous places and situations.
May Pastor Meinecke’s victory inspire us all to be bold in our faith, sharing the love of Christ with a world that desperately needs it.
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