A Christian pastor is facing a criminal charge after refusing to leave a sidewalk outside the Chinese Embassy in Washington while protesting China’s treatment of religious minorities.
The Rev. Patrick Mahoney, leader of the Christian Defense Coalition, said in a Sept. 28 Facebook post that he was “arrested by the United States Secret Service for peacefully praying on a public sidewalk in front of the Chinese Embassy.”
Mahoney posted video of the arrest and said, “It is tragic that I am being treated like a Chinese citizen,” according to The Christian Post.
“This is a sad day in America when an American citizen, a clergyman who’s praying on a public sidewalk in America, is arrested for celebrating the First Amendment,” he added.
The demonstration came after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the United States. Mahoney placed a red fabric display on the sidewalk listing people and groups he said have faced persecution by the Chinese government, including Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong residents, Falun Gong practitioners and Uyghurs.
“We were deeply troubled that our government, that President Trump rolled out the red carpet and had a state dinner for an oppressive dictator who crushes human rights, free speech, political dissent … has overseen genocide, bulldozed churches, imprisoned academics and others,” Mahoney said.
“We were deeply troubled that our nation would honor such an oppressive leader in this way.”
Mahoney said Chinese diplomats reacted angrily to the protest and alleged that they asked the Secret Service to remove the demonstrators.
“I saw the Secret Service go over and talk to the diplomats and the Secret Service came back to us and said: ‘The Chinese government has said this sidewalk belongs to China,’” he said.
Mahoney rejected that claim, saying he told officers the area was a public sidewalk and that his group had demonstrated there on previous occasions.
“They went back, talked to Chinese officials,” he said. “He came back and said: ‘Reverend Mahoney, the Chinese government has said this is their property. Are you willing to leave? And if you don’t leave, you’ll be arrested.’”
Mahoney said he then refused to leave the area.
“I said two things. I said: ‘No … I’m not going to leave.’ I go, ‘This is a public sidewalk. In America, every citizen has the right to peacefully air their views in the public square free from harassment, intimidation and, of course, arrest. And so no … I cannot abandon my First Amendment rights. I will not abandon my First Amendment rights.’”
Mahoney told The Christian Post that officers arrested him afterward and held him for five hours.
In an Oct. 4 Facebook post, Mahoney said he had been charged with “unlawful entry” and was ordered to appear in court Oct. 21.
He called the case a “first in American History,” writing: “A citizen is charged with ‘Unlawful Entry’ for peacefully demonstrating and praying on a public sidewalk.”
Mahoney also described the charge as “a tragic betrayal of protecting religious freedom and the 1st Amendment in the public square.”
He later said he confirmed with the District Department of Transportation that the location was a public sidewalk and met with attorneys from the American Center for Law and Justice to discuss the case.
