Officials in Alberta, Canada, shut down a church that broke coronavirus restrictions by erecting chain-link metal fencing around the building.
“This is what happens when you have freedom of religion in a free and democratic society: they jail your pastor for freely opening the doors of the church and serving Christ’s sheep and hurting people. Now they’ve chained the doors of GraceLife Church enclosing in chain link fence,” an Instagram post from Erin Coates, the wife of pastor James Coates, reads.
Police and health officials blocked off the roads surrounding GraceLife Church on Wednesday morning and erected the fencing. It is the first time that Canadian officials forcibly had to close a church during the pandemic.
“Alberta Health Service (AHS) physically closed GraceLife Church (GLC) and has prevented access to the building until GLC can demonstrate the ability to comply with Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health’s restrictions,” Alberta Health Services said in a statement. “GLC has decided not to follow these mandatory restrictions, nor have they attempted to work with AHS to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.”
The church was first ordered to close on Jan. 19, but James Coates did not comply with the province’s demands.
He was charged in February for violating coronavirus public health orders. He was then jailed for about a month and refused to agree to the bail conditions that stipulated that his services had to follow public health orders.
Coates was eventually released and resumed holding services on March 28.
Churches are allowed to hold services, but only at 15% capacity. GraceLife held two Easter services that saw a packed parking lot with people not wearing masks.
“I pray for all the pastors and Christians that still think this is about a virus and health order,” Erin Coates said in her Instagram post. “Clearly our Charter and criminal code mean nothing as long as the government can come up with a good enough story to disregard it. God have mercy on our nation. I pray for their souls. They are clearly under Your judgment.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The incident follows a viral video of another Canadian minister who demanded that police officers leave his church after trying to disrupt Holy Week services.
“Nazis are not welcome here! … Do not come back, you Nazi psychopaths. Unbelievable, sick, evil people. Intimidating people in a church during the Passover! You Gestapo, Nazi, communist fascists! Don’t you dare come back here!” Artur Pawlowski, the pastor, shouted at officers in Canada who entered his church.
This is how you handle police who enter a church without a warrant. They’re lucky they only got a tongue-lashing: s. 176 of the Criminal Code makes it a crime to disturb a church service. Those @CalgaryPolice thugs were breaking the law (and knew it). pic.twitter.com/0XhAuwv0yg
— Ezra Levant 🍁 (@ezralevant) April 4, 2021
