Pastor Holds Services Hours After Being Charged And Taunts Local Cops: You Can’t Arrest Thousands Of Us

The Baton Rouge Advocate reports:

The pastor of Life Tabernacle Church in Central went ahead with an evening religious service Tuesday night just hours after city police cited him over allegations he violated a state order to limit crowd sizes during an outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Pastor Tony Spell is accused of violating provisions of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ emergency declaration six times over the past two weeks. Spell has ignored requests from city, parish and state leaders to suspend services.

Spell added that government authorities were throwing away the nation’s Constitution under a “COVID hoax.” He called the fears about the virus a “politically motivated scheme to shut the doors on America’s churches and we refuse to shut our doors.” “Yes, we’re gonna have service,” he added, “and if I am arrested, the second man in charge will step in. If he is arrested, the third man in charge will step in. If he is arrested, the thousands of people who are members of this congregation are gonna step in, but you can’t take us all.”

In this clip, Spell vows to take his services “underground” if police bar the doors to his church.

“We are going to congregate,” he said.