Five people were cited for violating coronavirus guidelines in Moscow, Idaho, at an outdoor church gathering, resulting in three arrests, including that of a GOP candidate for county commissioner.
Gabriel Rench, who is running against an incumbent Democrat, was arrested after allegedly declining to provide his identification to police. He was not charged. The other people who were arrested were cited for resisting or obstructing an officer, according to the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
Five people in total were cited for not abiding by the mask and social distancing mandates.
“Doing this kind of crap for the mayor, this is embarrassing,” Rench told officers as he was being arrested. “You guys are stronger than this.”
Apparently we’re arresting people for singing hymns in America. pic.twitter.com/rR5oTmsrMI
— Matt (@carobini) September 24, 2020
The “flash psalm sing” promoted by Christ Church in Moscow was held outdoors. Attendees at the event were warned by the pastor that they could be fined up to $1,000 by police and spend six months in jail for not wearing a mask or social distancing.
Moscow Police Chief James Fry told the outlet that the officer who arrested Rench already knew his identity, but Rench’s refusal to provide identification led to the arrest. Fry said his officers were “very lenient” in their enforcement of the mask mandate and social distancing orders, “but at some point in time, you have to enforce.”
Ben Zornes, the pastor of Christ Church, said it is time to fight back against “largely groundless laws” and that he wanted to “make a statement we’re ready to head back to normal.”
