A Seattle pastor who faced two arrests in 2022 following public Bible readings has emerged victorious in federal court. Pastor Matthew Meinecke was represented by the Texas-based First Liberty Institute, which announced the favorable ruling last week.
Court Ruling and Implications
On September 10, Judge Barbara Rothstein ruled in favor of Pastor Meinecke, granting him permanent relief from the city’s unconstitutional police policies. The court awarded compensatory damages for the wrongful arrests, nominal damages for constitutional violations, and reasonable attorney fees and expenses, according to a statement from First Liberty Institute.
Nate Kellum, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, expressed satisfaction with the outcome. “The government should never silence a citizen’s speech simply because some people do not like it. Pastor Meinecke is pleased to put this case behind him and resume his Gospel outreach in Seattle,” Kellum stated.
Incident Background
In June 2022, Pastor Meinecke attended an abortion-rights rally in downtown Seattle intending to read Scripture, hold a sign, and distribute Christian literature. Despite his peaceful approach, his presence was met with hostility from some attendees, including members of Antifa. According to First Liberty Institute, these individuals confiscated Meinecke’s Bible, tore out pages, physically assaulted him, and stole one of his shoes.
When police arrived, they directed Meinecke to a location away from the rally, where he could not communicate his message. His refusal led to his arrest. A similar incident occurred two days later at an LGBTQ PrideFest, resulting in a second arrest.
Higher Court’s Influence
The recent federal court decision aligns with a higher court ruling from April, when the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Meinecke. The 9th Circuit had instructed the district court to grant injunctive relief. The appellate court found that Seattle’s actions constituted “content-based heckler’s vetoes,” where police restricted Meinecke’s speech in response to the hostile reactions from the crowd. The court also noted that Meinecke had shown irreparable harm due to the infringement on his First Amendment rights, and that the balance of equities and public interest favored his case.