Street Church pastor faces charges

Street Church pastor faces charges

 

Calgary, AB – (CLN News¬brie~ Art Pawlowski, pastor of Calgary’s Street Church, will appear in Provincial Court at 2pm on May 16 to face charges that arose during the church’s outreach in August 2006, close to a fringe festival on the corner of 17 Ave and 8 Street Sw.

 

 "The festival had sorcerers, psychics and warlocks," Pawloski said. "We talked with some of the vendors about how the Bible condemns such practices. The organizer of the festival phoned the police who told us not to talk to the vendors anymore." Two days later Pawlowski and his team returned to the festi¬val area.

 

"Some were reading Scripture and praying on the sidewalk, not talking to the vendors like we were warned," he added saying his group was on the sidewalk 200 yards away from the vendors. The Street Church team was spotted by the festival security and advised that the police were on their way to arrest them.

 

 When Pawlowski, who challenged the officer about the principles of freedom of speech and religion, asked why they were being harassed, he was handcuffed, dragged backwards to the police car and spent the night in jail. Three charges were laid: trespassing, obstruction of justice and caus¬ing a disturbance.

 

"When the police were dragging me, my shoulder was injured," he noted. "He handcuffed me so tight, two days after my arrest, my wrists were bruised."