Pastor Matthew Meinecke has won a significant legal battle with First Liberty securing a consent order on his behalf against the city of Seattle, providing him complete relief from wrongful arrests in the summer of 2022.
The legal agreement allows the pastor the freedom to share the Gospel in Seattle without the threat of arrest, coupled with monetary compensation for past grievances and attorneys’ fees.
Meinecke’s confrontations with the law originated at a pro-abortion rally in Seattle, where his attempts to read the Bible and distribute religious literature were met with hostility, leading to two arrests.
The consent order acknowledges the undue suppression of his speech and provides a platform for unhindered religious expression.
Nate Kellum, senior counsel at First Liberty, said, “The government should never silence the speech of a citizen just because an audience dislikes what it’s hearing. Pastor Meinecke is thrilled to put this case behind him and get back to sharing the Gospel on the streets of Seattle.”
In a similar case in Reading, Pennsylvania, in June 2023, a street preacher, Damon Atkins, was arrested for preaching from the Bible during an LGBT pride month rally, which also involved a heated exchange with local law enforcement about the public nature of his activities.