HOME / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Who is Artur Pawlowski? Pastor kicks out cops who interrupted service over Covid rules, calls them 'Nazis'

The pastor has been fined several times in the past on charges of violating public health rules

Controversial street preacher Artur Pawlowski made the headlines for wrong reasons on Saturday, April 3, when he shouted at local police officers after they reportedly tried to step in over alleged violation of Covid safety measures while holding a church service. A video of the incident which happened in southeast Calgary in the province of Alberta in western Canada went viral. He also called the officers “Nazis”. 

Pawlowski was holding the service in observance of Passover, which concludes the same day as Easter this year. When the cops came, he started yelling at them and asked them to leave the church immediately. “Immediately go out and don’t come back,” Pawlowski told the officers, counting six and including some women. “I don’t care what you have to say. Out! Out! Out of this property, you Nazis,” he said, adding: “Out of this property you Nazis! Gestapo is not allowed here!” he shouted. “Out, Nazi! Out! Nazis are not welcome here! Do not come back here you Nazi psychopaths!” He told the cops to come back only when they had a warrant. The officers exited the building soon after, the Calgary Herald reported. It also said that the pastor filmed the interaction with the law-keepers and posted it online. 

RELATED ARTICLES

Rev Jeffrey Whittaker: Michigan pastor accused of mocking man who died of Covid: 'He died…because he has no faith'

Virginia pastor, 66, who mocked 'mass hysteria' surrounding pandemic dies of coronavirus

Who is Artur Pawlowski?

Preacher Artur Pawlowski, who leads a street church on municipal property in downtown Calgary, was fined $1,200 in April 2020 for allegedly holding a gathering of more than 15 people at Olympic Plaza in the city. However, this time the officers did not issue any tickets.

Churches are allowed to hold services in the current pandemic situation but they need to limit their capacity to 15 percent and the attendees must take care of precautionary measures like wearing masks and maintaining a physical distance. Alberta Health Services (AHS) said their inspector was not allowed to enter the church and they could not confirm whether the assembly there breached public health disorders. 

“Our inspectors have an important job to do and we ask that business owners and organizations treat them with respect,” AHS said, adding: “We stand by all of our public health inspectors who are doing an incredible job in trying and challenging circumstances.”

The Calgary Police Service also came up with a statement saying they are often asked to attend calls that involve health inspectors to maintain peace. 

“The organizer of the gathering was uncooperative with the health inspector, and repeatedly raised his voice asking all parties to leave the premises,” the police service said in the statement. “We do not wish to disrupt anyone’s holidays or religious or spiritual events, however we must support our partner agencies when called upon to help ensure everyone can safely celebrate these occasions,” it added.

The police also said that it was up to their partner agencies, AHS and city bylaw to issue the tickets or carry out further enforcement. According to AHS, they are exploring the enforcement options.
Canada has seen more than one million Covid-19 positive cases and over 23,000 deaths. 

People had a mixed view on the incident. There were people who appreciated him for standing up to the police and even called him a “hero”. There were others who supported the cops saying the pastor was violating the rules by allowing too many people to gather.