An American pastor has been arrested and charged with a crime for praying and peacefully demonstrating on a sidewalk in front of the Chinese embassy in our nation’s capital. His case is now advancing in the courts after a recent arraignment.
The American Center for Law and Justice, which is defending Rev. Patrick Mahoney in the case, contends that the U.S. government acquiesced to demands from China’s communist regime to arrest the pastor.
Shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the U.S., Mahoney was protesting Chinese human rights abuses while standing on American soil, on the public sidewalk outside the embassy.
Mahoney, who is director of the Christian Defense Coalition, has reportedly protested more than 300 times at the exact same spot over the years, and Chinese officials have complained in the past. In 2023, the Secret Service nearly arrested him for protesting there, but the ACLJ intervened and the government backed down.
That’s not what happened on September 28. “Sadly, this time the Chinese delegation was able to persuade the Secret Service to do its bidding and arrest this American pastor right here on American soil. The criminal charge: unlawful entry, as if he were breaking and entering. It’s ridiculous,” Jordan Sekulow of the ACLJ stated.
Order Jonathan Cahn’s New Book, “The Altar of Pergamon” on Amazon.com!
Not only was Mahoney arrested, but he’s now facing a trial. His arraignment was held last week, on October 21.
He posted on social media, “My own government arrested me for demonstrating and praying on a public sidewalk. Jailed me. Criminally charged me. Ordered me to stay off the public sidewalk and are now criminally prosecuting me in court.”
Mahoney pleaded not guilty, but he reports the DC court issued an order telling him he cannot go back on the public sidewalk near the embassy until the case is decided. The criminal charges against him are moving forward, and his next court date will be November 20.
He’s vowing to keep fighting for his First Amendment rights. “We will never be silenced,” he said.
Published by agreement with CBN News
Benjamin Gill manages CBNNews.com and the CBN News app while also curating social media material. He has been on staff with CBN News as an internet and broadcast producer since 2000, with stints producing for CBN Newswatch and The 700 Club. He is a graduate of Queens College in New York City, where he also interned as a reporter at Newsday and worked as an editor in the publishing industry. Benjamin has served as a worship leader and elder at his local church and has a passion for reporting the evidence of God in our world while pointing people to Jesus Christ.
