Wearing a yellow shirt that read “FREE
BIBLES,” Brian Johnson returned to Twin Cities Pride Saturday after
being asked to leave last year.
“We're here because God broke my
heart and gave me a heart of compassion for the homosexual people,”
Johnson told Minneapolis-St. Paul NBC affiliate KARE.
Johnson won his fight to return to
Loring Park, the site of third largest gay pride festival in the
United States, on Friday when a federal judge refused
organizers' request to deny Johnson access to the park, but cautioned
he could not create a disturbance.
“I'm passing out Bibles to people who
ask me for one,” he said. “We're not going up to anybody and
trying to start anything. Our shirt says free Bibles, if they want
one, they'll get one.”
Johnson was denied a vendor's permit to
distribute anti-gay literature and Bibles last year after being an
official vendor for over a decade. The Hayward, Wisconsin man and
two relatives were arrested when they appeared at the park but
charges were later dropped.
Twin Cities Pride board member Jim
Kelley called Johnson's presence “offensive” because the festival
was suppose to be an affirming event for gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender people.