Florida megachurch pastor arrested for breaching Covid-19 health order [_link]

— The Guardian (@guardian) March 31, 2020

Howard-Browne is not alone in refusing to curtail in-person worship services despite public health orders designed to stop the virus from spreading. Churches in Ohio, Kentucky and Louisiana have continued to invite worshippers in recent days because at least half a dozen states offer some degree of exemption for faith in their orders to shutter non-essential activity during the pandemic.

The county and governor's orders require gatherings, including those held by faith-based groups, to be fewer than 10 people to limit the spread of Covid-19. A livestream of Sunday's three-and-a-half-hour service showed scores of congregants. In a Facebook post, Howard-Browne said coronavirus "is blown totally way out of proportion".

On 18 March, the church called its ministry an essential service, just like police and firefighters, and said it would keep its doors open.

In a Facebook video Sunday, Howard-Browne said: "It looks like we're going to have to go to court over this because the church is encroached from every side."

○ Pastor of Tampa church that held two large Sunday services arrested, jailed | Tampa Bay Times |