Videos: Christians Tear Down Metal Fences, Denounce The Closure Of GraceLife Church Due To A COVID-19 Restrictions

By Ray Pearson

April 11, 2021

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 and erected the fencing. It is the first time that Canadian officials forcibly had to close a church during the pandemic.

What began as a peaceful protest outside GraceLife church — just west of Edmonton — escalated when protesters tore down some of the fencing surrounding the property on Sunday afternoon.

A couple of hours into the demonstration, dozens of protesters began tearing down the tall metal fences that were installed by Alberta Health Services (AHS) earlier this week.

In a statement, Alberta RCMP addressed the situation at GraceLife.

“The Alberta RCMP will continue to act to preserve the peace and maintain public safety. The RCMP will use only the level of intervention necessary to ensure the safety of all citizens and to maintain peace, order, and security.

“The RCMP uses necessary measures to protect the fundamental freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, to promote the safety of all citizens, to enforce laws and to maintain peace and order. In turn, it must be recognized that while everyone has a right to peaceful freedom of expression; the general public, local residents and businesses also have the right to a safe environment.”

Poster Comment:

DissenT

won'T be

toleraTed