The leader of a whites-only church in Minnesota lost his bid to file harassment charges against a woman who opposes his congregation.
The Asatru Folk Assembly in Murdock, about two hours west of Minneapolis, was allowed to take over an abandoned Lutheran church last year and begin renovating it.
While the group has yet to hold a service, one woman, Victoria Guillemard, went to local businesses and organizations telling them about the church, which has been pegged by religious scholars as a white supremacist group, according to the Star Tribune.
Run by Jason Plourde, the Asatru church only allows white members of European descent. Plourde went to court seeking a harassment restraining order against Guillemard and accusing her of “spamming” his social media.
But a judge shot down his request, calling Guillemard’s criticisms “a matter of public concern.”
Judge Stephanie Beckman said Guillemard’s behavior did not rise to the level of harassment, noting she’d never contacted Plourde personally.