Churches Can’t Infringe The First Amendment

On Saturday, June 7th, 2025, I had the opportunity to watch a highly-disturbing video posted on the Human_wildlife_project channel on YouTube. The video featured a law-abiding citizen filming from a public sidewalk, while being harassed and potentially assaulted by parishioners of the Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church. These parishioners forced the YouTuber into the street as they obstructed his path on the sidewalk. They rushed him several times and when he tried to avoid them, they’d bark at him “not to assault them.” Some viewers joked that the parishioners had to be AI (or artificial intelligence) because no one could be that stupid. Well, these parishioners seemed to fit the bill quite nicely. Their actions weren’t only stupid and insensitive, but they were also illegal.

“RB Community is a church located in north San Diego within the beautiful suburbs of Rancho Bernardo. We are a church that is growing into a future that includes comfortable transparency and assurance of God’s grace and love. This is a place that is experienced as a resource to the community, that reaches out in practical ways to assist those in need, as a joyful place for children and families, and as an opportune place to explore health and wholeness through the work of the Holy Spirit. We hope this is the kind of community where you will find what you need to know the peace and guidance of Jesus Christ.” – RB Community Church Website

It’s pathetic that several of the churchgoers were old enough to know better. What kind of an individual thinks they can deny law abiding citizens from conducting constitutionally-protected activity in public? Maybe these folks would be happier living in a place China or North Korea. It’s mindboggling to me that Americans are so ignorant of the rights we all have, but also so intolerant that a complete stranger taking photos or videos gives them the moral justification to approach them and try to force their will upon them. These clowns menaced this man, particularly the crazy-looking woman who ironically tried to tell passerby traffic that the free citizen was crazy. These individuals harassed a complete stranger on a public sidewalk and falsely imprisoned him, denying him the ability to leave at certain instances. They parishioners did a wonderful job exposing the parish to civil liability for their wrongdoing. It got so bad a couple of times that the man had to walk into the road. What if the man had bit struck by a motor vehicle? The church would have been, at least partially, liable.

Did any of the goons who emerged from the Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church hold any official positions? Were any of them deacons, pastors, or trustees? We don’t know. I think the police response left much to be desired. There were no arrests, no mentions of criminal activity, and ultimately the officer and the congregants asked the First Amendment Auditor to please not block ingress or egress. They tried to end it with a public safety spin after they harassed and arguably assaulted a free citizen on a public sidewalk.

Churches should be very grateful for their tax exempt status and be mindful that they do not own the sidewalks or streets where their houses of religious worship are located. Their rights do not trump those of everyday citizens.