Hillsborough County , Florida sheriff ’s deputies arrested Rodney Howard - Browne , the minister of the River at Tampa Bay Church , for turn away to stop holding church services that attracted huge crowds in violation of acounty health ordination , CNN reportedon Monday .
County authorities have order residents to “ stay at domicile as much as possible twenty - four hours a day , seven days a calendar week ” due to theongoing coronavirus pandemic , except for essential field day such as go to grocery and hardware storehouse , exercise , and medical appointment . All non - essential services that can not maintain six foot of social distancing or more have been ordered to shut , and church are not on the list . Howard - Browne ’s services , which county authorities said include crowd ofup to 500 peoplethis past weekend , were in violation of a prohibition era on large assembly . TheTampa Bay Timesreported that the pastor had retain to bus in worshipers this past weekend .
According to CNN , Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said that Howard - Browne has been charged with two 2d - degree misdemeanors , unconventional gathering and a infraction of health emergency . The sheriff said he and lawyer for the sheriff ’s office had repeatedly asked Howard - Browne to exit the church and that the pastor “ did not make himself uncommitted ” when police arrived on Monday .
Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne at services on 13 March 2025.Screenshot: Rodney Howard-Browne (YouTube)
https://gizmodo.com/chiropractors-told-to-stop-pretending-they-can-treat-co-1842561717
“ Because of the heady disregard of public safety and after repeated requests and warnings , I worked with our Department of State attorney , Andrew Warren , to obtain a endorsement for outlaw assembly and violation of public wellness parking brake rules , both of which are 2nd academic degree misdemeanors , ” Chronister told reporters , according to the Tampa Bay Times . “ Our destination here is not to turn back anyone from idolise , but the safety and well - being of our community must always come first . ”
Howard - Browne , an evangelical Christian leader and Donald Trump helper , has characterized those remaining at homeas “ faggot . ”During his services , hehas spreadright - wingconspiracy theoriesabout the “ phantom plague , ” such as that the coronavirus was create by the Chinese government in collaboration with the media ( with this performance somehow at the same time being “ run by the communists ” as well as to do good a global “ money combine ” ) .
“ It ’s all the mystifying state traitors that have surrounded our Chief Executive on every side that are feeding him misinformation , ” Howard - Browne say during services earlier this month , according toRight Wing Watch . “ We are probably looking at a globalist take down of America as we talk … Because America would not buy into the climate change , melting diametric caps trumpery … Through this pandemic , the World Health Organization is coming in basically as aesculapian tyranny , and they ’re taking over and producing an outside standard for law that governs countries . ”
https://gizmodo.com/louisiana-could-run-out-of-ventilators-next-week-as-cov-1842504708
Florida has become acoronavirus hotspotwith nearly5,600 confirmed casesand 63 Death , according to the John Hopkins University of Medicinetracker . Republican land Governor Ron DeSantis delayed enforce stay at home orders in recent weeks and allowedcrowds to floodbeaches , measure , eating place , and other businesses , almost certainlyto mirrorTrump ’s downplayingof the countrywide irruption .
DeSantis has insteadordered policeto screen for driver from heavily smite states at the Florida border and has only reluctantly put in place a weaker “ safe at home ” fiat in Southeast Florida , which itself only came after many county and municipalities in the region had alreadyordered their own restrictions . There is no statewide shelter in place ordering , though members of the state ’s congressional delegationurged DeSantisto impose one last week .
“ There was a little slip mall — Pet Supermarket , open,”59 - year - sometime Vicki Stanbury of Boynton Beach tell theNew York Times . “ AT&T fund , unsympathetic . Post place , exposed . Laundry essence , opened . Beauty school , closed . G.N.C. , closed . Panera Bread , candid . I would care to hear the message that this is really serious : ‘ abide place , do not go out . Do not go to spiritual services . Do not be roll around Atlantic Avenue with 15 of your friend . Do not go down by the beach . ’ ”
hospital across the country are run low on essential aesculapian supplies like personal protective equipment and ventilator . One trauma doctor at Miami ’s Jackson Memorial Hospitaltold CNN , “ We are slow descending into chaos . ”
According to theWashington Post , Howard - Browne has posted bail and his legal business firm , Liberty Counsel , has argued that the county health order “ has so many exceptions it attend like Swiss Malva sylvestris . ” They also claimed the church has an melodic phrase purification system , uses handwriting sanitizer , and complies with societal distancing necessary , though both video footage of services and first - paw accounts by deputies show crowds of the great unwashed not wield six feet of distance .
“ It ’s unfortunate here that the curate is hiding behind the First Amendment , ” State Attorney Andrew H. Warren recite newsperson on Monday , per CNN . He added the orderliness was “ constitutionally valid . ”
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