Police and bylaw officers out in force for Calgary street ministry

Police and bylaw officers out in force for Calgary street ministry

CALGARY (CP) — The head of a Calgary street ministry says he fully expected to be arrested at his weekly service in a city park.

 Art Pawlowski and his supporters set up a sound system and amplifiers on Sunday despite previous tickets he has received for noise infractions.

 Pawlowski says he’s been feeding and preaching to the city’s homeless for nearly four years now.

 But about half a dozen police officers and several bylaw officers were on hand for Sunday’s service.

 They again handed out tickets and told Pawlowski he needed to shut down his service.

 Pawlowski said he would fight the $365 in tickets.

 "Why don’t you shoot us?" he challenged one officer, before taking to the microphone to address those gathered.

 "We are not here to break the law. We are going to go to Parliament. We are going to go from one court to another. We will not quit."