Alberta Health Services (AHS) installed a chain link fence to keep worshippers out of GraceLife Church last week, and when a large crowd tried to enter church grounds on Sunday, police took extensive action to keep them out.
AHS had closed the church for continuing to defy coronavirus restrictions and holding services hosting hundreds of congregants at a time, despite an AHS order limiting attendance to 15 percent of capacity.
Even though police lined the fence, closed roads, and employed helicopter support, a faction of the group trying to enter the church succeeded in tearing down a portion of the chain link fence before being repulsed, CBC reports:
“Dozens of police vehicles shut off access to roads around the church while a helicopter flew overhead. A large line of at least 30 officers faced the outer fence.
“There was a tense moment around noon when a group splintered from the crowd and tore down part of the fence. RCMP and others from the crowd pushed back the group and re-established the fence.”
Hey America. I know you’re really busy now and I hate to ask for a favour (that’s how we spell it). You guys are so good at standing up for religious freedom in China. Could you please say a word about this? cc. @SenTedCruz @TuckerCarlson @marcorubio pic.twitter.com/jYs8E1oXGh
— Ezra Levant 🍁 (@ezralevant) April 12, 2021
GraceLife Church said in a statement obtained by Global News that the crowd was not made up of its congregants:
“Grace Life Church has no control of our Church or grounds at this time. Our church has not been involved in organizing, planning, or promoting any protests or activities taking place on or near the church lands.”
The crowd appeared to be comprised of protesters objecting to coronavirus restrictions and other government encroachments on liberty, CBC reports. And, even though some played hymns over a loudspeaker, others trespassed on adjacent property in an effort to enter the church grounds.
GraceLife Church has had multiple run-ins with authorities over crowd capacity and social distancing mandates, as well as the 15 percent capacity limit, CBC reports.