If you thought it would never happen in America, guess what: it’s happening in America. JD Hall, a pastor in Sidney Montana, founder of the Gideon Knox Group, and a conservative activist has now found himself on defense for acting like a Christian.

Several weeks ago, in the town of East Helena, Montana, Hall got into a verbal altercation with a biological male dressed as a female at a gas station. During the minor altercation, Hall gave this person the gospel and referred to him using pronouns that align with his biological sex. The incident was reported by police as a “hate crime.”

Part of the police report can be seen below:

According to the report, the incident is “hate crime related” as the “male in the blue button down shirt”, who was JD Hall, was “challenging people in the store” and “yelling at everyone that they need to repent for their sins.”

According to Hall, and to anyone who knows Hall personally, he was merely preaching the gospel and calling people to repent and turn to Christ–an activity that is protected in the United States under the First Amendment.

Hall stated in an email that he is currently working with legal counsel and attempting to raise funds to cover the costs of the lawsuit.

“I was informed that they were going to charge me with various crimes,” the email reads, “which have evolved from ‘transphobia’ (which is not a crime) to ‘disorderly conduct’ to ‘criminal threats.'”

“I have retained the same legal counsel, Matthew Monforton, for this as well. You can see half the police report below (the LGBTQ version),” Hall continued. “Police have still not sent the full report from other witnesses. No one was ‘yelled at.’ No customers were spoken to. No voices were raised.”

Even if voices were raised and customers were “yelled at,” which is how the police report describes the scene, these are still activities protected by the First Amendment. Hall contends that no threats were made; there is no evidence that any threats were made. Nonetheless, the activists and lobbyists intend to try to make an example out of Hall for what happens when you cross the transgender community.

If this can happen in Montana, it can happen in your community.

If you would like to support Hall’s legal defense, you can do so at this link.