Michael Grant, aka Philly Jesus, spent a half-day behind bars after refusing to leave an Apple store, according to reports.
The 29-year-old was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. Twelve hours later, he tweeted, “i AM FREE!!!!! i’M FREE AT LAST!! THANK GOD ALMiGHTY!!! i AM FREE AT LAST!!!! BLESS UP.”
Grant says he refused to leave because the store was discriminating against him.
“The same way an African-American human being in the 1960s would be singled out in a white only store and asked to leave, I ‘Philly Jesus’ was singled out in the Apple Store because of my visual faith I portray—dressing up like Jesus holding my cross,” said Grant. “An Apple employee who was offended by my appearance and by my cross asked me to leave because of who I am and what I represent—because of my faith.
“Nearly every day I go into the Apple Store to charge my phone on their 15-minute-use limit computer open to the public. Never once have I had a problem there over two years. After being in there for only a minute, an employee asked me to leave because of who I am and me carrying my cross. I told him no. I know my rights. I am allowed to use the laptops and charge my phone like everyone else there who was next to me doing so—so me standing my ground, he brought the cops over and I told the cops the same thing: I am allowed to be here like anyone else on their 15-minute-use products to charge my phone and use their laptops. Then they locked me up, then I raised my voice freedom of religion!”
Last year, Grant was seeking $70 million to turn his life story into a movie.
He’s hoping to use his story for God’s glory.
“From being completely ran over by a mini-van by a ex-girlfriend in 2005, to being a local Philadelphia satanic music artist named Opal Weaver (YouTube) who practiced witchcraft and addicted to shooting up heroin and smoking crack/cocaine living a dark evil selfish lifestyle of the devil for years, which eventually caught up to me,” Grant begins on GoFundMe.
“(I was put away ) in a court-stipulated program for 73 days where I hit rock bottom, while put away I found out that The Source of Existence Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the rock at the bottom, so I repented of my sins and surrendered my life to Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
Grant says he is now nearly three years sober and wants to use his talents, which he says includes rapping, singing, painting and dancing, to put on a production of the gospel. He says his goal is to make a movie or a theatrical play.
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