(ChurchLeaders) Hundreds of people showed up Sunday to protest at the site of GraceLife Church (GLC) in Spruce Grove, Alberta. GLC has insisted that its members were not among the protesters, some of whom at one point started tearing down the fence surrounding the shuttered church.
“Grace Life Church appreciates the public outpouring of support to fully open churches in Alberta,” said GLC in a statement issued by Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), which represents the congregation and its pastor, James Coates. “Grace Life Church congregants were not at the protest that occurred on Sunday, April 11, 2021 near the Church’s facility. Grace Life Church recognizes the place for peaceful protest within the context of a democracy.” The church’s statement continues:
Grace Life Church has no control of our Church or grounds at this time. The Church grounds are fully under the responsibility and control of the RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] and Alberta Health Services [AHS]. The closing of the Grace Life facility has understandably resulted in significant public outrage and caused even larger crowds to gather in one place. Albertans have a constitutional right to assemble, associate, and worship. By taking the measures the government has, while the matter is still pending before the Courts, the Alberta Government has created an even more divisive situation.
It is time to end these unscientific, unjustified and arbitrary lockdown measures.