Armed police were reportedly forced to break up a 1-year-old’s birthday party over the weekend, as the child’s parents defied “Safer at Home” orders. According to TooFab, a video of the incident emerged after the authorities responded to calls about a group of between 30 and 40 people congregating together.
In the clip, officers can be seen wielding batons and bean bag guns, as they try to shut down the party. Many of the party-goers grew angry, leading the officers to call for backup. Once enough police officers were on-hand, about 32, they formed a line and walked the crowd back while the upset people yell insults at them. Eventually, the officers were able to get the group backed up, then announcing that they were authorized to use “less lethal munitions, which pose serious risk of injury for those of you who remain.” The incident took place in Los Angeles, where Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a “safer at home” order on March 19, asking all residents to stay home as much as possible and avoid groups of 10 or more, in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.
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The L.A. situation happened just days before a Tampa, Florida, pastor turned himself in to police, after a warrant was issued for his arrest for violating “Safer at Home” orders.
The River at Tampa Bay Church pastor Rodney Howard-Browne was advised by county Sheriff Chad Chronister not to hold services due to the risk it posed to the chruch’s congregation and community at large, but he chose to hold services anyway, prompting Chronister and State Attorney Andrew Warren to issue the warrant.
“His reckless disregard for human life put hundreds of people in his congregation at risk and thousands of residents who may interact with them this week in danger,” Chronister said at a Monday afternoon press conference. “They have access to technology allowing them to live stream their services over the internet and broadcast to their 400 members from the safety of their own homes, but instead they chose to gather at church.”
“I was appalled and also frightened at the fact that those individuals [were] thinking and believing they are doing the right thing. How many people are they going to infect if they have COVID-19?” he asked. “There is nothing more important than faith especially during a pandemic, but like every other church here in the Bay Area, do it responsibly.”
Howard-Browne turned himself in on Monday but was released 40 minutes later after posting the $500 bond.
