Hundreds Protest Over Arrest of Pastor Who Defied COVID-19 Lockdown Orders

Pastor Henry Hildebrandt speaks at a demonstration against measures taken by public health authorities to curb the spread of COVID-19, in St.Thomas, Ont., Canada, on Nov. 14, 2020. Geoff Robins/The Canadian Press

Hundreds of protesters rallied outside the Edmonton Remand Centre on Feb. 20 to show their support for pastor James Coates, who remained in custody after being charged with breaking Alberta’s COVID-19 rules and refusing to comply with his conditions of release not to hold services.

In a Facebook post, the protestors urged people to join them in “standing for religious and charter freedoms.”