Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne was arrested by Hillsborough County Sheriffs on March 30, after he refused the Sheriff Office’s request to cease all in-person services at his River at Tampa Bay Church because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Despite public safety advice and executive orders that limited public gatherings to 10 people, the pastor encouraged his congregation to meet. Howard-Brown held services on Friday and twice on Sunday.
“I believe there is nothing more important than faith at a time like this, and as a Sheriff’s Office, we would never impede on someone’s ability to lean on their religious beliefs as a means of comfort,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, “but practicing those beliefs has to be done safely.”
According to police, the Sheriff’s Office legal and personal staff all spoke to the attorneys whom represented the church to teach them reasons why they were creating a hostile environment for others.
“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,” said Chronister.
Chronister also spoke about how River Church held a unique advantage over most churches. They had resources and technology. Technology which could be used for live streaming church sessions and activities, without meeting in person.
Before the arrest of Howard-Browne, Revival Ministries International, a group started by Howard-Browne posted a response about the county trying to shut them down.
Former prosecutor KrisAnne Hall, who has a law degree, wrote on the church’s website that it should not be shut down. She said the stay-at-home the law was arbitrary, not equally applied to everyone and unreasonable.
“The government deciding who can attend a service by way of a numerical limit does not demonstrate an equality of rights and ought to be seen as a violation of the principle of separation of church and state, ” Hall said.
Howard-Browne was charged with unlawful assembly and violation of public health quarantine.
There are over 5,700 cases of COVID-19 in Florida and 71 deaths.
