Pastor Arrested for Preaching the Gospel to the Poor
Pastor Arrested for Preaching the Gospel to the Poor
Several officers drag volunteers from preaching platform
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Yesterday, members of the Street Church ministry were forcefully removed from their preaching platform by a mob of police officers. For years the City has been waging a battle against the ministry, getting more and more aggressive with members being manhandled, Christian materials confiscated, and volunteers wounded from rough treatment. Street Church ministries has made several attempts to have their Charter rights restored and have made several pleas for justice and mercy which have, to this date, fallen on deaf ears.
“The City’s continued disregard for the desperate needs of the homeless, and the ruthless targeted attacks on the ministry, must stop. There are lives at stake and the constant intimidation of our volunteers, who are really making a difference in these people’s lives, is completely unacceptable. Frankly, I don’t understand why Calgarians remain silent while this targeted persecution of our ministry continues unchallenged. When will they realize that when you sit back and allow one group of people to have their rights denied, it won’t be long before yours are gone, and there will be nobody to come to your defense,” stated Artur Pawlowski lead pastor of Street Church Ministries.
Concerned Christians Canada is launching an awareness campaign and will be contacting thousands of their supporters across the country to notify them of what injustices are going on in the City of Calgary. Already over two hundred thousand people have been informed that this event has happened and there will be many more who will be made aware of the intimate details of the belligerent behaviour of “Calgary’s finest”.
“During this altercation three volunteers were arrested, one of which for recording the behaviour of the police from a nearby sidewalk, and still other ministry members were intimidated by being surrounded by squad cars, paddy wagons and police officers. Ironically drug dealers and drug users were conducting their business right in front of the officers and they did nothing to stop them. It’s just so hypocritical. It’s high time that City council step up to the plate. They need to lay down their battle gear and allow Street Church to care for the less fortunate in peace. The very things that City officials harass Street Church about they allow others to do regularly without attacking them. This is a precisely targeted campaign against a ministry that preaches the gospel. It is bigotry and it must stop,” stated Jim Blake, National Chairman, Concerned Christians Canada.
Concerned Christians Canada is letting people know about the arrogance and injustice that Christians and homeless people face in Calgary and will be encouraging citizens to let City council know that they will vote them out next election if they do not stop the attacks. Video footage of the event is available to all interested parties, and will be made available shortly on the Internet for the all to see.
For more information on the incident, please contact Concerned Christians Canada at 403-690-4636 or e-mail [email protected].