![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2283339986-GI.JPG\" "\\"The")
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
The West Front of U.S. Supreme Court on June 29, 2026.<\/p>\n
Tom Brenner<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
The Justice Department is weighing whether to launch an investigation into the Fort Worth Police Department\u2019s handling of an event at Trinity Pride Fest in June that prompted the department to give officers a refresher on First Amendment rights.<\/p>\n
On June 27, Fort Worth PD officers cited a person<\/a> for disorderly conduct after street preachers were speaking into bullhorns near Trinity Pride in Fort Worth\u2019s Near Southside neighborhood.<\/p>\n Videos posted on Facebook and X show the street preachers speaking with police officers when one of the preachers asks if someone can be cited for misgendering a transgender person.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re talking gray area right now,\u201d an officer responds. \u201cI don\u2019t believe I would cite that for offensive language.\u201d<\/p>\n In another video, posted on X, an officer is speaking with two street preachers. \u201cAre you really going to ticket us for offensive speech?\u201d one of the street preachers asks the officer in the video.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, absolutely,\u201d the officer says before saying, \u201cit\u2019s called disorderly conduct.\u201d<\/p>\n EXCLUSIVE \ud83d\udea8 Fort Worth, Texas – On June 27, 2026, at Trinity Pride Fest in Fort Worth, Texas, street preachers Richard Penkoski and David Grisham were subjected to multiple violations of their First Amendment rights while attempting to preach on public property. <\/p>\n Upon arrival,\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/o5ROC5t48r<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sarah Fields (@SarahisCensored) June 28, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n The department confirmed to the Star-Telegram on July 2 that officers would be receiving a refresher on the First Amendment.<\/p>\n On July 10, Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice\u2019s Civil Rights Division, posted about the incident on X.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cTroubling,\u201d Dhillon wrote. \u201cOur @CivilRights team is on it.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, the Justice Department has sent a letter<\/a> to the Fort Worth City Attorney.<\/p>\n The letter calls for the city to submit records detailing FWPD\u2019s First Amendment policy, training materials, accountability records, which will be used to decide if the Civil Rights Division will \u201ctake further former action.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGovernment actors cannot discriminate against viewpoints or restrict peaceful free speech just because it may be offensive,\u201d a statement accompanying the letter reads.<\/p>\n Fort Worth police did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the city of Fort Worth said that the City Attorney\u2019s office is working with the police department to address the DOJ\u2019s request.<\/p>\n Government actors cannot discriminate against viewpoints or restrict peaceful free speech just because it may be offensive to some. Under this administration, the @CivilRights<\/a> Division will defend free speech, as protected by the Constitution. pic.twitter.com\/R2DVR8Ig68<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) July 14, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 1:07 PM.<\/p>\n