One man at the Mall of America located in Bloomington, Minnesota, was recently forced to remove a “Jesus Saves” graphic t-shirt in the wake of the mall security informing him that a number of shoppers were reportedly saying they were offending.
Video clips of the incident highlighted that the back of the shirt showed the Coexists symbol which was crossed out with the phrase “Jesus is the only way” printed directly below it.
“Jesus is associated with religion and it’s offending people,” explained one of the offending guards to the man in the shirt in the released video footage.
After speaking with the group of security officials, the unnamed man was issued the ultimatum that the shirt could not be worn while he was in the mall.
“Again sir, it is religious soliciting,” the guard exclaimed to the man in the video which was taken back on the 7th of January. “There is no soliciting allowed on mall property, which is private property.”
I automatically assumed this was overseas, but it's right here in America. pic.twitter.com/Q79eUCG7xh
— John Mason (@LivingGodsTruth) January 12, 2023
In this now viral video, the man openly acknowledged that he has previously been made to leave the mall a while back for “preaching the gospel.” He was, at that time, issued a “24-hour trespass for soliciting guests,” explained one spokesperson for the Mall Of America.
The website for the Mall of America directly states that soliciting is now allowed under its currently sets policies, which include “Picketing, demonstrating, soliciting, protesting or petitioning.”
The group of security officers seen in the viral videos stated that the shirt the man was wearing counted as “religious soliciting” to them before adding, “There is no soliciting allowed on mall property, which is private property.”
Policy for the mall also stated that “appropriate attire” must be worn at all times while inside the mall, specifying “apparel that has obscene language, obscene gestures or racial/religious/ethnic slurs that are likely to create a disturbance” as entirely inappropriate.
Despite the incident, one spokesperson for the mall explained to a journalist from the Daily Mail that the man was, in the end, not forced to abide by the orders from the power-tripping security guard.
“After a brief interaction, the guest was not required to change his shirt and was allowed to remain at the Mall,” explained the rep to the Daily Mail.
users across social media were worked into a froth over the video, berating the mall of openly violating the man’s religious freedom.
“There is no way this should happen in USA. He has a free speech right to wear that shirt, and a freedom of religion right to practice his faith in public places. More people should wear Christian shirts to that mall,” exclaimed one user.
