Welcome to Thomspon's blog🎯 Skip to main content

Coronavirus: Florida pastor arrested for holding fully-packed church services despite stay-at-home order




Coronavirus: Florida pastor arrested for holding fully-packed church services despite stay-at-home order
A Florida Pastor, Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne has been arrested by the police for holding fully-packed church services despite a stay-at-home order in the state. 

Prior to his arrest, the evangelical pastor had insisted that he wouldn't close the doors of his Tampa Bay megachurch until the End Times begin. He also encouraged those in attendance at his River at Tampa Bay Church to shake hands, to show they were not afraid of contracting the coronavirus. A video from the church service on Sunday March 29, showed dozens of people packed inside the church and standing shoulder-to-shoulder.

Coronavirus: Florida pastor arrested for holding fully-packed church services despite stay-at-home order

Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne was arrested on Monday March 30 on misdemeanor charges of unlawful assembly and violation of public health rules after defying social distancing orders at The River at Tampa Bay church. 

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said at a press conference; 

“I made a decision to seek an arrest warrant for the pastor of a local church who intentionally and repeatedly chose to disregard the orders set in place by our president, the governor, the CDC and the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group. His reckless disregard for human life put hundreds of people in his congregation at risk and thousands of residents who may interact with them this week in danger."

Coronavirus: Florida pastor arrested for holding fully-packed church services despite stay-at-home order

The church has claimed on its website that the restrictions are a violation of the First Amendment, and in a March 18 post on Facebook, the church said it was providing an “essential service” that made it exempt from the social distancing orders. 

Authorities said the sheriff’s office spoke to attorneys for the church to explain they were in violation of government orders, and officers attempted to meet in person with the pastor but he refused.

Howard-Brown turned himself in to a neighboring sheriff’s office and was booked and released within 40 minutes. 

Florida has more than 5,200 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 63 deaths, according to the state's health department.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Police station, customary court, DPO residence burnt down by angry youths after a young man was allegedly killed by a policeman in Abia (photos) There is reportedly an unrest in Ebem community of Ohafia, Abia State following the killing of a young man identified simply as Friday.  Friday was reportedly shot dead on Friday night after some policemen got into a fight with a supermarket owner in the community.  An eywitness, Mr. Madu Kalu told The Nation that a Police station, a customary court and a DPO residence were burnt down after the incident denegerated into violence.  An eyewitness said;   “It started at Ebem-Ohafia where a supermarket owner at the motor park close to the police station and his boys were off-loading wares from a truck around 6:30pm on Friday . “The supermarket faces the major road in the town. A police patrolling vehicle was said to have brushed the parked truck. The supermarket owner, one Mr....
Post a Comment
Read more
I lost my beauty complex, house and cars in Abule Ado gas explosion - Actress Nkiru Umeh Nollywood actress, Nkiru Umeh has disclosed that she is one of the victims of Abule Ado gas explosion which destroyed properties and also claimed many lives.  According to the actress, the explosion which occurred while they were in church destroyed her beauty complex, her house and cars. Nkiru who expressed gratitude of surviving the incident which didn't claim the life of any member of her family, revealed that her neighbours who were at home died.  She wrote;  My beauty complex and my house were directly opposite Bethlehem girls college and the explosion happened right in front of the school. Everything went down. I thank God for life. Still in shock to even talk but my anger is that the media houses and the government are lying to the public. All the same. It is well. I will narrate on this more when am out of shock. For now my hands are still sh...
Post a Comment
Read more
The funeral arangement of Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff to President Buhari, has been announced The funeral arangement of Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff to President Buhari, has been announced. According to Bashir Ahmad, personal Assistant to President Buhari on New Media, late Kyari will be buried today April 18th in Abuja according to Islamic rites.  ''Mallam Abba Kyari will be buried later today in Abuja according Islamic rites.'' he wrote Kyari died on Friday April 17th weeks after he tested positive for the novel Coronavirus. 
Post a Comment
Read more