The Christian man who was arrested last Saturday for quoting a Bible verse at a pride event in Reading, Pennsylvania, had the criminal charges against him dismissed. As mentioned before, Damon Atkins, a committed Christian, participated in the pride event in Reading last week with the intention of sharing his beliefs and presenting his understanding of scripture.
The “Pride March and Rally,” which took place in Reading for the first time and received backing from Mayor Eddie Moran, attracted a small crowd of individuals near City Hall.
Atkins positioned himself on a public sidewalk located directly across from City Hall, brandishing a sign bearing the words, “Jesus said go and sin no more.”
Law enforcement officers restrained Atkins by placing handcuffs on him and proceeded to escort him away from the scene.
Following a thorough examination of video evidence relating to the incident, criminal charges against Damon Atkins, the Pennsylvania man who was arrested on Saturday for publicly reciting Bible verses, have been dismissed. The Berks County District Attorney’s office announced through a Facebook post that the charges of disorderly conduct filed against Damon Atkins in relation to the events that occurred on June 3, 2023, in the 800 block of Washington Street in the City of Reading, have been withdrawn.
Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach confirmed via email to The Lancaster Patriot that the charges against Damon Atkins were dropped today by the Berks County District Attorney, after a careful assessment of the available evidence and application of the relevant laws.
In a previous email shared with The Lancaster Patriot, Commissioner Leinbach expressed his belief that the arrest had the potential to result in legal consequences for the city and police department.
“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,” Leinbach stated in the email.
