Reading PD Needs Accountability
The unjustified arrest of a Christian in Reading, PA shows the desperate need for accountability
Last week, I reported on the unlawful arrest of Damon Atkins, a Christian attempting to use his First Amendment rights, by the Reading Police Department in Pennsylvania.
As I updated last week, the charge of “Disorderly Conduct Engage in Fighting” was dropped by the district attorney which was good news. The bad news remains that there is no accountability for the criminals in this case, the cops who violated Atkins’ First and Fourth Amendment rights.
The Berks County District Attorney’s Office stated, according to WFMZ-TV:
“After review of the video of the incident, including body-worn cameras, and a review of the case law, we did not believe we could prove a criminal case of disorderly conduct.”
The charge of disorderly conduct is a misdemeanor of the third degree includes jail time up to a year and a fine of $2,000, under PA Code. That’s the penalty the Reading PD believes is justified for someone saying “God is not the,” the only words Atkins said before being subjected to tyranny. He was attempting to quote 1 Corinthians 14:33 with “God is not the author of confusion.”
For the background:
https://sethhancock.substack.com/p/christian-arrested-for-quoting-bible
https://sethhancock.substack.com/p/update-charges-dropped-for-christian
Atkins was also interviewed after the arrest by CBN:
As accountability remains elusive, I made multiple attempts this week to get a comment from the mayor of Reading, Eddie Moran. He didn’t respond.
I’ll get to my questions in a bit, but let me first show you the reaction from Reading’s “leaders” to this unconstitutional action.
WFMZ-TV reported on the statements of both Moran and the police chief in Reading, Richard Tornielli.
Instead of acknowledging that one of his residents had his rights violated, Moran justified the violation of rights:
“First and foremost, I consider myself lucky to have been able to participate in the Reading Pride March and Rally. It truly was a wonderful event, and I look forward to continuing to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community throughout the month of June. With regard to the incident, the City respects the First Amendment rights of all individuals. However, freedom of speech does not include the right to disrupt an organized event and interfere with the rights of others.”
Don’t you love it when authoritarians claim they respect peoples’ rights then justify violating them?
Then there’s the police chief who offers no desire to clean up his department of tyrants but rather plays the victim. Tornielli said:
“Since the arrest of Damon Atkins, the Reading Police Department Communications Center has been inundated with phone calls from individuals voicing complaints about the arrest. On Tuesday and Wednesday, our Communications Center fielded hundreds of calls on phone lines that are used for emergency and non-emergency requests for police assistance. These harassing phone calls have distracted our communication personnel from fielding calls related to incidents taking place in the City of Reading…. Many of the phone calls received have included threats to police personnel and have contained inappropriate and vile language. The Reading Police Department and our partner law enforcement agencies are investigating the calls which have contained threatening language and will pursue charges where appropriate.”
I’d like to know what the so-called “threatening language” is. I’ll be honest, I don’t believe him. But, if anyone did threaten them, that’s wrong. But please provide evidence instead of proclaiming yourself a victim.
Regardless, Tornielli is more interested in investigating people for hurting his feelings over the phone rather than investigating his cops violating peoples’ rights. That whole department needs to be investigated. Knowing this is their “leadership,” including the arresting tyrant officer being a sergeant, I wouldn’t trust any of their cops.
By the way, I came across this piece from a few days ago by the Reading Eagle suggesting the city has a major violence problem. Maybe instead of violating rights, Tornielli’s department should actually do police work instead.
Now, that gets me to my questions to Moran. I think they’re pretty basic and very fair. They are:
Did you make your statement before or after the DA dropped charges?
Since the DA has dropped the charges, have you issued a public apology to Mr. Atkins for the unjustified arrest?
Will you be calling for an investigation into Sgt. McClure for making the unjustified arrest?
As I noted, Moran hasn’t responded. But if he does, I’ll provide them in an update.
I’ll note an interesting thing happened after I initially reported on the arrest. As I originally noted, the Reading PD has an “LGBTQ Liaison.” That contact has been removed from its website.
I don’t think the position is gone but rather the contact has been removed. That’s my suspicion.
But here’s from the Reading town website:
“While the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act prohibits some discrimination, it does not protect LGBTQ Pennsylvanians from discrimination. Mayor Eddie Moran and his administration believe that LGBTQ citizens should be included in these kinds of protections.
We look forward to working with the LGBTQ community in helping to make Reading an inclusive, diverse, and fair city. If you have suggestions or would like to become involved in supporting making Reading a more LGBTQ-friendly city, please contact one of our LGBTQ community liaisons.
The City of Reading Mayor’s Office liaison to the LGBTQ Community is Kimberly Talbot. She can be reached at 610-655-6141.
The Reading Police Department liaison to the LGBTQ Community is Lieutenant Luz Shade. She can be reached at 610-655-6387.”
A little more information of what happened with Atkins, The Lancaster Patriot reported that he was in custody “for several hours before being released on an unsecured bail of $5,000.00.” He was not let out of custody until the pride event was over and given orders that he could not attend any more events at City Hall, which is public property, that day.
Christian Leinbach, a Berks County Commissioner, told The Lancaster Patriot:
“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.”
Unless the Reading PD is held accountable, they will feel free to violate anyone’s rights that they wish. And while I am a Christian who is appalled by the violation of rights in this case, I’ll make it clear I will defend anyone whose rights were violated regardless of their beliefs.
A lawsuit is necessary as its clear the Reading PD will not be held accountable without it. But that’s the system we have nationwide. The police investigate themselves and then protect themselves and their “thin blue line.”
A GiveSendGo page is raising funds for Atkins.
And as the “left” likes to chant, “no justice, no peace,” I think people need to embrace that. Keep contacting the police department until they give a full apology to Atkins and make moves to prove they will no longer tolerate their officers violating people’s rights.