This happened two weekends ago, but this story is now gathering steam on social media.
A man inside the Mall of America was ordered by security guards to remove his T-shirt that read “Jesus is the only way” in a viral confrontation that has sparked online outrage.
The man’s bright yellow shirt read “Jesus saves” on the front and “Jesus is the only way” on the back with the “Coexist” symbol which represents peace among different religions crossed out, the footage shows.
Security guards told the man that other shoppers at the Minnesota mall said they were offended by the shirt.
“Jesus is associated with religion and it’s offending people,” one of the guards tells the man in the video from the Jan. 7 incident.
The man tries to reason with the guards, telling them that he didn’t speak or say anything to anyone — in terms of preaching.
A spokesperson for the Mall of America told the Daily Mail that one week prior to the T-shirt incident, the man was “issued a 24-hour trespass for soliciting guests.”
The mall policy forbids “picketing, demonstrating, soliciting, protesting or petitioning” on the premises.
The security guard said the man’s religious tee still counted as soliciting even if he was not actively preaching.
…The man was eventually allowed to keep his shirt on and go about his way shopping, a spokesperson for the mall said.
‘”After a brief interaction, the guest was not required to change his shirt and was allowed to remain at the Mall,” the representative told the Daily Mail.
Based on the mall’s statement — noting that one week prior to the incident, the man was “issued a 24-hour trespass for soliciting guests” — it sounds like there’s more to this story.
For more, check out the video below:
