On January 7, in the year of Our Lord 2023, security guards for the Mall of America — the largest mall in the United States — asked Paul Shoro, who has been identified as a preacher originally from Ethiopia, to leave the premises because of his bright yellow T-shirt proclaiming that “Jesus Saves.”
One of the guards can be heard on video explaining that “people have been offended.” Just exactly who was offended was not shared, however.
The back of Shoro’s shirt bore the “Coexist” symbol — which bears elements of Islam, a peace sign, the symbol for male/female, the Star of David of Judaism, a symbol representing paganism, a symbol of Taoism, and the Christian cross — with a line through it. The back also claimed that “Jesus is the only way.”
“If you shop here, you need to take that shirt off,” a security guard told Shoro.
“What is wrong with my T-shirt?” Shoro asks reasonably.
The guard claimed that the shirt represented “religious soliciting,” explaining that “there is no soliciting allowed on mall property, which is private property.”
“Just take it off and shop, man,” the guard explains. “That’s all we want.”
Shoro admitted that he was “preaching the Gospel” outside of the building but insisted he had not been engaged in proselytizing inside the mall.
“We’ve had guests come up saying that they’ve been offended by your shirt,” the guard explains.
Shoro asked exactly who was offended, but security guards wouldn’t give him specifics, instead repeating, “Take the shirt off, and you can go shopping.”
“What did I do?” Shoro continued to ask.
“Jesus is associated with religion, and it’s offending people,” the guard explains.
“I didn’t say anything, I didn’t speak,” Shoro reiterated.
“Take the shirt off, and you can go to Macy’s and do your shopping,” the guard explained.
According to KARE 11, a television station in the Twin Cities, Shoro was eventually allowed to stay in the mall, shirt and all. The Mall of America reported that Shoro had previously been issued a temporary trespass notice for solicitation.
“The guest referenced in the video was approached by Mall of America security on January 7, 2023. One week prior, he was issued a 24-hour trespass for soliciting guests. After a brief interaction, the guest was not required to change his shirt and was allowed to remain at the Mall,” said a statement from the mall.
Mall policy apparently prohibits “picketing, demonstrating, soliciting, protesting or petitioning.”
Shoro relayed his version of the event in a January 7 Facebook post: “I was at mall of America and devil saw me wearing my Jesus saves T-shirt, and asked me to take off my shirt or to leave the mall. I told them that I will never take off my T-shirt nor leave the mall. Actually they were about to take me to Jail for 24 hours, but the Lord sent his angel to deliver me from their hands.”
He added: “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.”
An event protesting the Shoro incident — Jesus Goes to the Mall — is scheduled for February 4.
