In a blatant act of defiance, pastor Tony Spell defied the state’s stay-at-home order and his own house arrest to hold services at his church Life Tabernacle Church where his congregants sang and lifted signs that said “I stand with Pastor Spell,” The Advocate reported Sunday.
One condition of Spell’s house arrest is that he “refrain from any and all criminal conduct, including but not limited to strictly abiding by the all emergency orders issued by the Governor of the State of Louisiana.”
However, Spell left his home Sunday with an ankle monitor visible through the cuffs of his pants, despite warning from Health experts that “large gatherings of people during the coronavirus pandemic could accelerate the infection rate,” the newspaper reported.
Authorities arrested Spell last week after allegedly driving one of the church’s buses against a protestor outside his church.
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Along with the recent aggravated assault, Spell has also been charged with six misdemeanor counts of violating the governor’s stay-at-home order.
He was put on house arrest after refusing to say whether he would continue services during the governor’s stay-at-home order.
At least one church member died after contracting COVID-19, and a lawyer tapped to represent the church’s fight to hold services was hospitalized, according to the report.
RELATED: Louisiana Pastor Urges Christians To Send Their Stimulus Checks To Churches Instead Of Buying Food.
