‘RECKLESS’

Louisiana Pastor Holds Services Again, Attracting Hundreds, Despite Arrest

Tony Spell, who was arrested last week for holding church services in defiance of the governor’s order, gathered hundreds Sunday.

A Louisiana pastor held church services on Sunday, bringing together hundreds of worshippers despite a statewide stay-at-home order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. Pastor Tony Spell told church-goers at the Life Tabernacle Church near Baton Rouge that they had “nothing to fear but fear itself.” Louisiana has become a hotspot for the coronavirus outbreak with at least 13,000 cases and 477 deaths as of Sunday. Spell was arrested last week for holding church services in violation of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ ban on gatherings of more than 10 people. “They would rather come to church and worship like free people than live like prisoners in their homes,” Spell told reporters on Sunday. His spokesman Joe Long argued that the governor’s order violates the right to religious freedom protected by the U.S. Constitution. Louisiana Police Chief Roger Corcoran called the pastor’s behavior “reckless and irresponsible.”