Around 400 protesters gathered outside GraceLife Church near Edmonton on Sunday after it was closed last week for violating COVID-19 health orders.
Some of the people gathered sang hymns and listened to Bible readings. Just after noon, however, some attendees tore down sections of the fence as RCMP rushed to stop them. As the fence was being taken down, some chanted “leave the fence” and “Jesus would not take down the fence.” Police later replaced the fencing while some in attendance assisted.
Many people who came to the GraceLife Church property said they came from out of town, some from as far away as Grande Prairie and Lethbridge.
People walked in from kilometres away to the crowd of about 400 gathered outside GraceLife Church on the first Sunday after the closure west of the Edmonton city limits, April 11, 2021.Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia People walked in from kilometres away as a person carries a wooden cross to the crowd of about 400 gathered outside GraceLife Church on the first Sunday after the closure west of the Edmonton city limits, April 11, 2021.Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia A person carries a wooden cross to the crowd of about 400 gathered outside GraceLife Church on the first Sunday after the closure west of the Edmonton city limits, April 11, 2021.Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia This man temporarily stopped a convoy of police officers and vehicles trying to get through the crowd of about 400 gathered outside GraceLife Church on the first Sunday after the closure west of the Edmonton city limits, April 11, 2021.Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia A crowd of about 400 gathered outside GraceLife Church on the first Sunday after the closure west of the Edmonton city limits, April 11, 2021.Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia Police guard the entrance as a crowd of about 400 gathered outside GraceLife Church on the first Sunday after the closure west of the Edmonton city limits, April 11, 2021.Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia Women crying hug each other as a crowd of about 400 gathered outside GraceLife Church on the first Sunday after the closure west of the Edmonton city limits, April 11, 2021.Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia A few in attendance tried to rip down the fencing as police stand their ground while a crowd of about 400 gathered outside GraceLife Church on the first Sunday after the closure west of the Edmonton city limits, April 11, 2021.Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia A crowd of about 400 gathered outside GraceLife Church on the first Sunday after the closure west of the Edmonton city limits, April 11, 2021.Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia A few in attendance tried to rip down the fencing as police stand their ground while a crowd of about 400 gathered outside GraceLife Church on the first Sunday after the closure west of the Edmonton city limits, April 11, 2021.Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia Police bring in extra officers through the crowd of about 400 gathered outside GraceLife Church on the first Sunday after the closure west of the Edmonton city limits, April 11, 2021.Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia A women shouting at police as a crowd of about 400 gathered outside GraceLife Church on the first Sunday after the closure west of the Edmonton city limits, April 11, 2021.Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia
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