Over the weekend, a young Christian man, Marcus Schroeder, found himself in police custody after peacefully reading Scripture verses on a loudspeaker outside a “Pride in the Park” event in Watertown, Wisconsin.
Organized as “family entertainment” by the city of Watertown, the event featured a drag queen show in front of children who were encouraged to give money to lingerie-clad male dancers. Troubled by the sexualization of minors, Schroeder and fellow members of Mercy Seat Christian Church took to the public sidewalk outside the event to preach the gospel.
As Schroeder quoted from Galatians, emphasizing the importance of loving one’s neighbor, police officers approached him, attempting to seize the microphone. The situation escalated, leading to his arrest on charges of unlawful use of sound amplification and resisting arrest. Other Christians were also arrested for praying and sharing the gospel inside the event but were later released with warnings.
Here is my report for @RepubSentinel about the young street preachers arrested and detained at a public drag event in Wisconsin.
Marcus Schroeder told @RepubSentinel that it was an honor to be “arrested for the sake of spreading Christ and His kingdom.” https://t.co/dfQptnLOwj
— Ben Zeisloft (@BenZeisloft) August 1, 2023
Despite facing legal consequences, Schroeder is unwavering in his commitment to free speech and spreading Christ’s message. He stated, “It’s actually an honor to be counted worthy to stand with the cloud of witnesses who have gone before us and been arrested for the sake of spreading Christ and His kingdom.”
Undeterred by the arrests, the Christian group now plans to act with “further boldness.” Schroeder affirmed that more people are recognizing the gravity of the situation and are being motivated to take action.
Social media reactions to the viral video of Schroeder’s arrest have urged the Christian group to consider legal action against the city and the arresting officers. Damon Atkins, who faced a similar arrest at a Pride event in Pennsylvania, has already sued officials for violating his First and Fourth Amendment rights.
Amid the controversy surrounding the event, it’s worth noting that the Christians from Mercy Seat Church distance themselves from a group of neo-Nazis who also disrupted the Pride event with swastika flags and homophobic insults. While the Christian group has zero affiliation with the neo-Nazis, they maintain their unwavering commitment to spreading the gospel and standing for truth, even in the face of adversity.
Despite the event drawing national attention for the neo-Nazi disruption, the focus remains on the Christians’ pursuit of free speech and their efforts to share their beliefs while peacefully standing against what they perceive as harmful elements of the “Pride in the Park” event.
Watertown officials have not responded to requests for comment on the arrests and on the issue of children being exposed to explicit content at the event.
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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.
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