Apparently unable to handle criticism, the Fort Worth, Texas Police Department blocked the popular Libs of TikTok social media account but soon backed down under pressure.
LOTT ran afoul of the Lone Star State cop shop when it brought attention to a female officer who threatened to arrest two preachers over their “offensive” speech during an incident at last month’s Trinity Pride Fest, a celebration of the homosexual lifestyle and other forms of deviance explicitly condemned in the Holy Bible.
Officer Sarah Stogner was caught in the footage threatening to cuff and haul off Rich Penkoski and David Grisham, who were using a bullhorn to preach the gospel, telling the sidewalk preachers, “If someone is offended by your talking, then we have a problem,” a statement that flies in the face of free speech.
Female Texas Cop THREATENS to ticket a retired officer and Christian street preacher for “offensive speech”
Cop: “If someone is offended by your talking, then we have a problem…”
Man: “You’re going to ticket us for ‘offensive’ speech?”
Cop: “Yes, I am”
This cop is blatantly… pic.twitter.com/qX0UjnRBSL
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 8, 2026
The video of the confrontation went viral after being shared by the account, which is influential with conservatives and has 4.7 million followers on X – and in retaliation, was blocked by the Fort Worth PD’s official account.
UPDATE: The @fortworthpd has now BLOCKED us. Lmao
https://t.co/1X0tgNE8g2 pic.twitter.com/08QSyB4dha
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 10, 2026
The backlash was fierce as X users rallied to LOTT’s defense, pointing out that it’s illegal to trample on free speech rights.
The Fort Worth PD police account is an official government account. Because these pages serve as official government channels, courts—including the U.S. Supreme Court—have consistently ruled that blocking citizens based on their political or critical viewpoints violates their… https://t.co/eENV9uabKj
— Megan Basham (@megbasham) July 10, 2026
Dear @fortworthpd,
Retired federal prosecutor here. I see you’ve blocked @libsoftiktok.
As a public law enforcement agency, you are constitutionally barred from viewpoint-based censorship of citizens on your social media platforms — especially those critical of your department.… pic.twitter.com/Xg0egXSJtL
— Reeve Swainston (@ReeveAndSasha) July 10, 2026
.@GregAbbott_TX the police chief of one of your largest cities is continuing to allow his officers and now his social media team to violate citizens’ free speech rights. It is illegal for the Fort Worth Police Department to block @libsoftiktok. Are you going to address this? https://t.co/YVawMvBf19
— Megan Basham (@megbasham) July 10, 2026
I don’t think that they can legally block you. Government entities that have done this in the past have been held in violation of the 1st amendment. Which is on par with an agency that apparently doesn’t know what the 1st amendment is.
— Wade Miller (@WadeMiller) July 10, 2026
That’s actually unconstitutional. I’ll represent you for free to get hou unblocked if you’d like. Email me cj@gfalaw.us
— Texas2AAttorney (@CJGRISHAM) July 10, 2026
That is considered a 1st amendment violation because the FWPD social media page is considered a “public forum” and they receive taxpayer money. Also, a violation of the Texas State Open Records Act.
According to the Supreme Court (Lindke v. Freed), officials and department…
— Michael
(@Rocksalt73) July 10, 2026
Rather than be consumed by a growing public relations dumpster fire, the department backed down, unblocking Libs of TikTok.
UPDATE: @fortworthpd just unblocked us after many people pointed out that it’s illegal for them to block us and tagged AG Paxton
They’re terrified https://t.co/wUJfF2aOPD pic.twitter.com/vNyik0FV35
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 10, 2026
“UPDATE: @fortworthpd just unblocked us after many people pointed out that it’s illegal for them to block us and tagged AG Paxton,” LOTT wrote, crowing about the reversal. “They’re terrified.”
Users had success in getting the block lifted after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton were tagged.
Thanks! They just unblocked us after many people tagged @KenPaxtonTX and pointed out that it’s unconstitutional
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 10, 2026
“They unblocked us. They’re panicking,” the account wrote in another post, spiking the ball over the win for free speech.
