Fri Aug 18, 2023 – 2:39 pm EDT
RICHMOND HILL, Ontario (LifeSiteNews) — Charges against an Ontario pastor for allegedly breaking COVID regulations have been dropped.
On August 17, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which represented pastor Michael Thiessen of Grace Baptist Church in Richmond Hill, Ontario, announced that Crown prosecutors determined to stay all charges against Thiessen for allegedly violating the Reopening Ontario Act.
“We are pleased that taxpayer-funded resources will no longer be devoted to this prosecution, which had been carried on pursuant to unscientific laws that were unjustified violations of our Charter rights and freedoms,” stated John Carpay, president of the Justice Centre.
In 2021, Thiessen was charged with violating COVID restrictions under the Reopening Ontario Act by holding church services.
On April 25, 2021, police conducted surveillance on Grace Baptist Church after receiving a complaint that the church was exceeding capacity limits. Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) stopped cars leaving the parking lot after each of the two services on that day. They informed motorists of the potential fines they could face if convicted under the Reopening Ontario Act.
After the second service, Thiessen was detained by police as he was leaving the church. An
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