The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the Fort Worth Police Department following viral videos showing officers confronting Christian street preachers at a Pride festival. The inquiry focuses on allegations that law enforcement threatened to issue citations for speech deemed offensive during the Trinity Pride event last month.
Social media footage captured several interactions between officers and the preachers. In one instance, an officer warned a preacher that attempting to speak within the barricaded area of the festival could result in arrest. Another officer suggested that misgendering an individual or using biological pronouns instead of preferred ones might constitute offensive speech warranting a citation. One preacher received a citation for a noise violation.
During the encounters, an officer stated that if an individual is offended by someone else's speech, it indicates a problem. The videos circulated widely online, drawing attention from conservative and far-right accounts, including Libs of TikTok and Bo French, a candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner. Some viewers called for the termination of the involved officers, arguing their actions violated free speech rights.
Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights, posted a video of one confrontation on X, describing the situation as troubling and confirming that the civil rights team was reviewing the case. The Justice Department did not immediately provide further details when contacted by The Dallas Morning News.
Fort Worth police acknowledged the circulating videos but noted they showed only part of the interactions. The department stated that one officer made inaccurate statements during the encounters. In response, the city plans to implement refresher training for officers and trainees regarding First Amendment protections for free speech and protesters.
