The Fort Worth Police Department has acknowledged that an officer made inaccurate statements during an encounter with a Christian street preacher at Trinity Pride Fest on June 27. The department stated that the citation issued to the preacher was for violating the city's noise ordinance due to the use of a bullhorn, not for the content of his speech.
Incidents at the festival came to light through social media posts. One video, shared on X, depicted a police officer telling the preacher that referring to a biological male as a male was a "gray area" and could potentially be subject to a ticket for offensive language. Another video showed a female officer stating, "If someone is offended by your talking, then we have a problem," and responding "Yes, absolutely" when asked if they would be ticketed for offensive speech, identifying it as disorderly conduct.
The Fort Worth Police Department stated that officers responded to complaints from nearby business owners who reported that amplified sound from the preacher's bullhorn disrupted their operations and deterred customers. According to the department, the preacher was initially warned that continued use of the amplification device would violate the city's noise ordinance. After the preacher continued using the bullhorn, a disorderly conduct citation was issued, and the device was seized as evidence. The individual was reportedly permitted to continue protesting without amplification.
In a statement, the department said, "FWPD acknowledges that an officer involved in the incident made certain statements that were not accurate." The department also noted that the video circulating online captured only a portion of the interactions.
The City of Fort Worth Law Department plans to provide refresher training for Fort Worth Police officers and new trainees on First Amendment protections and related legal issues concerning free speech and protests. The department emphasized its commitment to protecting the constitutional rights of all individuals, regardless of the content or viewpoint of their speech, while also ensuring public safety.
Rich Penkoski, who identified himself as a Christian street preacher and shared videos of the incident, wrote on X that police officers have historically violated preachers' First Amendment rights, but that this instance was captured on video. He stated, "As a street preacher, it is not my job to coddle anyone or go soft on sin."
Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon indicated that the Civil Rights team was looking into the matter. The Fort Worth Police Department stated it "continuously strives to improve its procedures to ensure both constitutional rights and public safety are protected."