A local pastor in Waco, Texas, is speaking out against the city after being restricted from preaching during a Pride event held at a public park. Now, he is thinking about taking legal action, claiming the city’s actions violated his First Amendment rights.
Pastor John Featherston, who leads Waco’s Church of the Open Door, was one of several people who showed up at Brazos Park East during the annual Out on the Brazos LGBTQ+ Pride celebration. But instead of being allowed to freely express his religious views in the main event area, the city required him to speak only in a designated “free speech zone” set up far from the crowd.
Featherston said he was stunned when city officials and police told him he could not preach or hold signs unless he stood in that specific area. “I was told I couldn’t talk about Jesus near the event,” the pastor said. “That was very disturbing. This is a public park. Why can’t I speak freely in a public place?”
According to Featherston, he tried to peacefully express his views but was repeatedly warned by law enforcement and city staff.
Eventually, they made him stand in the marked zone, which he described as being 100 yards away from the main event space. “It felt like I was being silenced,” he said.
The city had created these zones to avoid any confrontations during the Pride event and to keep things safe and organized. Waco officials stated that the zones were meant to allow free expression while ensuring safety for everyone attending the celebration.
But Pastor Featherston believes it was more about keeping people with opposing views away from the public eye.
“This was not about safety. It was about censorship,” he said. “They didn’t want us to be seen or heard.”
Now, Featherston says he is exploring legal options. He has already contacted a legal team and is considering filing a lawsuit against the city.
He believes the city’s restrictions were unconstitutional and that the government cannot limit where someone can speak in a public space based on the content of their speech.
First Liberty Institute, a legal group known for defending religious freedoms, is reportedly reviewing the situation and may assist with the case.
The incident has sparked a lot of attention online and in the local community. Supporters of the pastor say the city’s actions go against the principle of free speech and are worried it could set a dangerous precedent. “If it happens here, it could happen anywhere,” one community member said. “Public parks should be for everyone.”
However, supporters of the Pride event say the speech zones were needed to protect attendees from harassment and to keep the event peaceful. They argue that people have a right to enjoy the event without being disrupted by protests or aggressive preaching.
“The Pride event is about inclusion and safety,” one attendee said. “People should be allowed to be who they are without being targeted or judged.”
The City of Waco has not released a full statement on the matter but did confirm that “free speech zones” were used during the event. They said such zones have been used in other public events to prevent disruptions and are not meant to silence anyone.
Legal experts say this case could become a major example of how cities balance public safety and free speech. The First Amendment allows people to express their opinions in public places, but the government can place certain time, place, and manner restrictions as long as they are applied equally and not based on what someone is saying.
“This could come down to whether the city applied the rule fairly to everyone, or if it targeted Pastor Featherston specifically because of his message,” said a law professor from a Texas university.
The debate over free speech at Pride events is not new. Similar cases have happened in other states where people with religious or political views were told to stay in certain areas or were removed for causing disruptions. Courts have often ruled in favor of free speech rights, but each case depends on the details.
Featherston insists that he was not trying to disrupt the Pride event or incite any violence. “I just wanted to share the love of Christ,” he said. “I wasn’t yelling. I wasn’t being rude. I was just there to speak what I believe.”
He added that his goal is not to sue for money or publicity but to protect everyone’s right to speak freely in public. “This is about the Constitution,” he said. “Today it’s me, but tomorrow it could be someone else.”
As of now, no official legal complaint has been filed, but Pastor Featherston’s legal team is reviewing video footage, witness statements, and city policies to decide the next steps.