Good idea: Protest campus preachers civily with signs and rational words. Bad idea: Shove campus preacher and get arrested.  The SSA affiliated JMU Freethinkers have the right idea on this one.  This article originally appeared in James Madison University’s The Breeze, and is reprinted with permission.


Tempers flared yesterday on campus after a physical confrontation occurred between a visiting street preacher and a JMU student.

JMU student Alex Martin was arrested and charged with assault and battery after she allegedly shoved self-proclaimed preacher Matt Bourgault of Consuming Fire Campus Ministry.

Witnesses report that tensions between the crowd and Bourgault reached a fever pitch after he spoke about a number of sensitive subjects, including Hurricane Katrina, religion and 9/11.

“I felt like he was egging people on, and he was upsetting the crowd,” said freshman Matt Smith. “He was generalizing JMU students as a whole, pointing at people and saying negative things like ‘whore.’”

Bourgault is no stranger to JMU’s campus, and has preached on the commons, which is an area designated on campus as a free speech zone, several times before.

“I’ve been to JMU before and it’s a great place to come and preach,” said Bourgault. “I always find opportunities for good discourse here.”

Bourgault notified JMU Events and Conferences about his presence on campus after spending Monday preaching on the commons.

“They showed up yesterday to preach,” said Joe Urgo, the associate director of university events and conferences. “They don’t have to let us know, but it’s common practice for speakers to tell us that they are coming.”

A large group of students gathered to hear Bourgault speak on Tuesday, including members of the JMU Freethinkers, who peacefully protested the event with signs against the preacher and his ideals.

Several witnesses report that the crowd grew and emotions became heightened as the preacher, adorned with a sandwich board emblazoned with the words “warning!” and other accusations such as “liars, thieves, sodomite, potheads” engaged in excited discussion with several crowd members.

“It was heated between a lot of people, and people were getting very emotional,” said senior Brian Tynan. “He was having separate exchanges with different people and making a lot of inflammatory comments.”

During the exchanges, junior Alex Martin became progressively upset and approached JMU police officer Larry Resson with her concerns about the increasingly incensed crowd.

“I asked a police officer why this person was allowed to be here, especially with what he was saying,” said Martin.

At this point, Martin said, “Officer Resson replied with, ‘He can say what he wants. If I call you a whore, it doesn’t mean you are one. I don’t know you and I don’t know if you are, but I could call you one.’”

Martin says that she immediately walked away from the police officer and became continually more upset as she listened to Bourgault. “As I walked back, the preacher was continuing to say horribly negative things,” said Martin. “I got caught up in the heat of the moment and in my emotion I pushed him.”

Witness Tynan corroborates Martin’s account of the incident: “She was talking to Officer Resson beforehand, she was clearly visibly upset by a lot of things he was saying,” said Tynan. “She just pushed [Bourgault], just a shove, he stumbled forward and the people in front caught him.”

Martin says that the officer she had previously talked to immediately pushed her against a wall and handcuffed her. She was subsequently taken downtown to the Rockingham County Regional  Jail where she was charged with assault and battery.

Bourgault seemed unfazed by the physical attack and maintains that he did not mean to incite anyone to practice violence against him.  

“I told her to calm down at a certain point and even after I ignored her, she continued to rant,” said Bourgault. “She came up right behind me, it was out of my hands.”

Despite the incident, Bourgault remains positive about his ministry and remains steadfast in his mission to visit universities and spread his message.

“The officer witnessed the incident, I’m the victim,” said Bourgault. “I forgive the girl, may the Lord help her. I hold no grudges.”

The JMU police department declined to comment and referred all inquiries on the matter to Don Egle, the university spokesman and director of public affairs.

“The incident that took place was very unfortunate,” said Egle. “The university understands that there will be times of disagreement, and for this reason the university encourages the community to express its disagreement in an appropriate manner.”

Martin remains remorseful about the physical altercation, but stands her ground in defending herself and the university.

“This guy was invading our home and insulting us,” Martin said. “I don’t want to mess with his free speech rights, but I received nothing positive from the preacher.”