Baptist Pastor Jailed During ‘Drag Queen Story Hour,’ SWAT Team Snipers Positioned Atop Library Roof



Spokane, Washington: A Baptist pastor, Afhsin Yaghtin, was arrested and jailed after refusing to move across the street from the public library while exercising his right to free speech against a “Drag Queen Story Hour.”  About 400 supporters of the drag queens were permitted to demonstrate next to the library, an estimated 200 concerned citizens against the drag queens were told to protest across the street. There was a strong police presence, including snipers on the rooftop, as the police believed that both sides would be armed, but no civilians showed up openly carrying guns.

A Baptist pastor was arrested and jailed on Saturday after refusing
to move across the street from the Spokane, Washington Public Library
while exercising his free speech against a “Drag Queen Story Hour.” The
event had a significant militaristic police presence, including
camouflaged snipers positioned atop the roof to oversee the large crowd
that stood both for and against the men dressed like women reading
stories to children.

Afhsin Yaghtin of New Covenant Baptist Church was arrested for
obstructing an officer as he contended with police that the South Hill
Library is public property and that he should be able to speak adjacent
to the facility instead of being required to stand across the street.

Video footage posted to social media shows police telling Yaghtin
that if he does not support the event, he needs to stand on the other
side of the street, away from the library — though those defending the
drag queens were permitted to be on the same side.

“So, I can stand right here,” Yaghtin states to one officer. “No, you
are going to need to go across the street,” the officer replies.

Yaghtin then speaks to another officer, and is again told to stand
across the street. He asserts that the library should be considered
public property as the event is solely in one room.

“This is a public library. The only event that they’ve reserved is a
private room,” Yaghtin argued. “The rest of the library is U.S.
property. … I have the right to free speech wherever I want to speak.”

He was soon taken into custody and charged with obstructing the
police, or as reports state, “trying to enter the non-designated protest
area.” Yaghtin has since been released.

According to The Spokesman-Review,
an estimated 40 police officers were stationed outside of the library.
Those who supported the event — approximately 400 in all — stood
adjacent to library property, and those opposed to the “Drag Queen Story
Time” — about 200 concerned residents — were asked by police to stand
on the other side of the street.

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