Lockdown-Defying Aylmer Church Of God Ordered To Lock Its Doors Shut
The church has become infamous for defying Ontario's gathering rules.
A small-town church that's become known for repeatedly violating Ontario's COVID-19 restrictions has officially been ordered to close.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Bruce Thomas ordered the doors of The Church of God in Aylmer, Ontario to be locked from the outside, CBC News reports. The church is to remain closed until Ontario's gathering limits allow public indoor gatherings with a 30% capacity.
The church's Pastor Henry Hildebrandt and Assistant Pastor Peter Wall as well as the church itself were fined $48,000 in total, with an additional $69,000 in legal fees.
The decision was made following the contempt ruling against the church on April 30, according to Global News
It was based on a live stream of a service held at the Church of God on April 25, where around 100 people are seen without masks or social distancing — at least two people were arrested at the church on this same day for charges ranging from obstruction to assault.