After pastor clashes with 'Drag Queen Story Hour,' court finally rules

A court in Spokane, Washington, dismissed charges against a pastor who was arrested by police when he went to his local library's "Drag Queen Story Hour" to pray for the parents and children attending.

Pastor Afshin Yaghtin was arrested June 15 for "questioning the police's favorable treatment of supporters and unfavorable treatment of anyone they perceived to be non-supportive and for refusing to move to the 'protester' zone after being denied entry into the library," according to the Pacific Justice Institute, which defended him in court.

Yaghtin said he was there not to protest but to observe the event and pray for the people attending. But police, before he even arrived, had begun separating people they believed were opposed to the event.

Read the judge's order on the motion to dismiss the Yaghtin case. 

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He was arrested for failing to follow orders from police.

Yaghtin was headed for trial when the Spokane Municipal Court dismissed the charges.

PJI argued that the command by law enforcement was illegal because it violated his First Amendment rights.

The judge agreed, pointing out "the scope of the protest zones was expanded to include anyone attending the event who had an opinion about the event, regardless of whether they were protesting or creating a disturbance."

Jorge Ramos, PJI's Seattle attorney who represented Yaghtin, called the ruling "an enormous victory for the freedom of conscience."

"The prosecution refused to acknowledge law enforcement's overreach by separating and even barring people from entry into the library based on their views," he said. "We are thankful justice prevailed and Pastor Yaghtin can continue to shepherd his community with confidence."

PJI President Brad Dacus said the judge "appropriately recognized the danger this type of identification and separation posed to constitutionally protected rights."

"PJI is proud to help pastors like Mr. Yaghtin continue to live out their calling," he said.

When Yahgtin arrived at the public facility, he did not consider himself a protester. Nevertheless, police ordered him to stay away and cross the street to where protesters had gathered.

"Yaghtin did not physically interfere with or touch police, nor did he make threatening movements toward the police or use threatening words at any time," PJI said. "He was arrested for questioning the police's favorable treatment of supporters and unfavorable treatment of anyone they perceived to be non-supportive."

Officers claimed he was obstructing them.

WND reported some of the event supporters carried provocative signs depicting Jesus in a dress reading to children. Others dressed like angels with oversized wings.

Drag-queen events across the nation are becoming increasingly confrontational.

WND reported a library in Renton, Washington, went beyond its drag queen story time, staging a "pride celebration" that offered to teens "free lunch and dinner! Fun crafts! Loads of activities! Open mic! Karaoke! Advice panels, Safer sex presentations! A drag show! Free swag!"

Some parents found out, however, and showed up with questions.

The library reacted by calling police to remove the parents.

Todd Starnes interviewed some of the parents on his radio program to find out what the library was up to.

He found that the library managers would rather call police and have parents removed from the public property than answer their questions about the sex toys being handed out to tweens and teens.

The library, which passed out free condoms and lubricant, held a raffle for "chest binders," which are used by girls who believe they are boys to bind their breasts.

Starnes said "taxpayers should be absolutely concerned about what is going on between the stacks behind closed doors."

Other events have taken place in Beloit, Wisconsin; Long Beach, California; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Houston.

In Houston, a library hired a convicted child-sex offender to read books to children.