A street preacher was recently arrested in Seattle, Washington, after authorities reportedly deemed him a public safety risk for reading scripture aloud near an event commemorating pride.
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The preacher, Matthew Meinecke, discussed the alleged ordeal on Twitter, with the faith leader accusing numerous police officers of arresting him as he read the Bible in a park.
“SPD has enough resources to send 10 police officers to arrest a preacher reading his Bible in a public park,” Meinecke tweeted June 27. “Because it’s such a horrible crime now!”
The man, who goes by “The Seattle Preacher” on Twitter, included a video along with these proclamations that shows Seattle Police Department officers standing by as someone — presumably Meinecke — reads scripture aloud.
It’s unclear what happened before the clip, but one cop can be heard stating that the individual reading Scripture can no longer stay in his location.
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
— The Seattle Preacher (@mattteamjesus) June 27, 2022
“So, at this point, we can no longer stand by the risk that you pose for public safety by remaining here, can be mitigated if you leave, your last chance,” the cop can be heard saying.
A man responds, “I don’t want to leave, because I’m not in danger.” That’s when authorities handcuff the individual, identified in the press as Meinecke, and the crowd erupts into cheers.
Meinecke later told Jonathan Choe, a journalist with the Discovery Institute, the incident unfolded late last month when he was reading the Bible aloud at the Seattle Center.
He said he was “not aggressively preaching” at the time but was removed by police nonetheless.
#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 Journalist (@choeshow) June 29, 2022
“Your job’s not to silence me and move me,” he told Choe of the police, proceeding to respond to critics who might question his tactics. “Why are they so offended by words? I just believe in using the Word of God, so if those words are so offensive…the problem is in you.”
Meinecke also shared footage of people purportedly kicking a Bible in the ground back and forth and of a Bible thrown into a toilet — acts he likened to hate crimes.
Watch below (caution: language):
Desecration of another persons Religious material is a HATE CRIME.
— The Seattle Preacher (@mattteamjesus) June 26, 2022
If this was a Quran people would be outraged. People must really hate the WORD of GOD right now. pic.twitter.com/IjXqab1qma
“I got two Bibles ripped up, dragged, a barrier got thrown on top of me,” he said. “This was extremely violent.”
Choe shared a municipal court document from the arrest proclaiming Meinecke wasn’t immediately charged with any crime. However, the document said the city attorney “may file charges” against him in the future, pending Washington law.
IN COURT: Clerk said no obstruction charge filed so he just left. @mattteamjesus says he was disappointed with @SeattlePD’s decision to arrest him on then refer for charge. But he says he forgives them and plans on going back to preaching on street. #Seattle pic.twitter.com/V6NffVWbTx
— Jonathan Choe Journalist (@choeshow) June 29, 2022
Despite the violence, Meinecke said he has endured, he offered forgiveness to those who have physically harmed and derided him.
“I forgive them,” he said. “I don’t hold nothing against them.”
CBN’s Faithwire reached out to the Seattle Police Department for comment on Meinecke’s arrest and will update the story pending a response.
Meinecke was also allegedly arrested in 2019 for preaching outside of a Washington high school.
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