Damon Atkins, a man protesting a Pride event in Reading, Pennsylvania by speaking Bible verses, was arrested for disorderly conduct. He was recorded shouting a verse from Corinthians during a public Pride Month event, a situation which ended in his arrest. Atkins maintained that he was within his rights, as the event was happening on public property.
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This episode coincides with an escalating conservative backlash against Pride Month. High-profile brands and companies are being targeted by calls for boycotts due to their association with LGBTQ+ spokespersons or participation in Pride Month celebrations.
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Justin Wolfers, a University of Michigan professor, dubbed this as economic terrorism, suggesting it fosters fear among workers and manipulates corporations into selling what the activists want.
In response, the Reading Police Department clarified that Atkins’s arrest was not for reading Bible verses but due to the disorderly conduct caused by his loud volume. A spokesperson for the police confirmed that Atkins was allocated an area to protest in and was asked to maintain a volume that would not cause public inconvenience or incitement. However, Atkins’s failure to comply with these guidelines led to his arrest.
