“The Dallas Police Department is aware of a social media video circulating online related to an incident on December 18, 2025. We are providing the following factual information in the interest of transparency and to address questions we have received,” said the department in a Dec. 24 X post.
According to a report from Newsweek, there was a video circulating online of a Dec. 18 event that appeared to show officers handcuffing two men affiliated with the ministry “Testimonies of God” as fans arrived for the Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons game. It said the video gained traction on the social media account Libs of TikTok on Dec. 23.
Soon, the video racked up thousands of views. Commenters also weighed in with opinions, from arguing that the “preachers argued the men were exercising their First Amendment rights,” to criticizing the police actions.
“At approximately 7:20 p.m., off-duty officers working security on private property in the 2600 block of Victory Avenue responded to a disturbance involving loudspeaker in violation of the City’s noise ordinance,” said police of the incident, citing a location near American Airlines Center where the Mavericks play. “Officers requested the volume be lowered after a nearby resident raised concerns. Two individuals were temporarily detained for officer safety; no arrests were made. A citation was issued for the noise violation, and criminal trespass warnings were provided at the request of the property representative.”
Authorities added that the incident occurred on private property. They also said that “the Dallas Police Department remains committed to protecting First Amendment rights while enforcing applicable laws and ordinances.”