Will Canadian Pastor Be Jailed ?

Canadian pastor who chased away police, health inspectors served with warrant, could be jailed

Anthony Murdoch

Last Saturday’s visit was the second time this month Calgary Police and Alberta Health Services (AHS) officials have come to Pawlowski’s church on an unannounced coronavirus health visit during worship services.

A Canadian Pastor who twice told police and health inspectors, whom he called “Gestapo Nazis,” to get out his church on unannounced COVID-19 visits was served with a warrant which allows government officials to do “anything necessary” to arrest him or anyone else “at the property” should officials not be allowed to inspect the church.

Pastor Artur Pawlowski of The Cave of Adullam church located in Calgary, Alberta, was served with a warrant signed by a judge giving Calgary police and Alberta Health Services (AHS) public health officials virtually unfettered access to his church, even during religious services.

“The Respondent, Artur Pawlowski, together with any other person at the property … to grant access to any Executive Officer (as defined in the Act) in order for him or her to attend at the Property without notice, during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., to allow the Executive Officer to exercise his or her powers under sections 59 of the Act,” reads the warrant which was signed April 23.

“Upon there being reasonable grounds to believe that the Respondent, Artur Pawlowski or any other person has breached any terms of the Court’s Order, any member of Law Enforcement is authorized to forthwith arrest that person, restrain him or her and bring him or her at the earliest possible time before a Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench.” 

Section 59 of the Alberta Public Health Act reads: “59(1) An executive officer may inspect any public place for the purpose of determining the presence of a nuisance or determining whether this Act and the regulations are being complied with.”

The warrant goes on to state that if it comes to making an actual arrest of an individual under the “order,” police are “authorized to do anything necessary to carry out the arrest, including the use of as much reasonable force as may be necessary to make the arrest and without warrant to enter any place where on reasonable grounds Law Enforcement believes that the offending person may be found.”

Pawlowski is a well-known street preacher in Calgary and is renowned for feeding the homeless. He has been running Calgary-based Street Church Ministries for over 20 years and has been a vocal opponent to coronavirus lockdowns.

Last Saturday’s visit was the second time this month Calgary Police and Alberta Health Services (AHS) officials have come to Pawlowski’s church on an unannounced coronavirus health visit during worship services.

As a result of the warrant, Rebel News started a website called SaveArtur.com, vowing to help pay for Pawlowski’s legal fees and “do everything we can to Save Pastor Artur.”

Section 176(2) of the “Criminal Code of Canada” bans interrupting or disturbing a religious service. However, according to Rebel News, the warrant issued to Pawlowski and his ministries appears to nullify this section.

Pawlowski fled communist Poland as a youth with his family. He recently told LifeSiteNews that the continued police presence at his church gives him bad memories of growing up behind the Iron Curtain.

He said that while he doesn’t mind talking with authorities, it should not be done during worship services, which he says “intimidates” his parishioners. “You want to come and visit the church — fine, I have no problem letting them in to inspect the place, but not during worship, during the church time, and they heard that from me many times,” said Pawlowski.