Church, three men charged

Aylmer Police have charged Aylmer Church of God (Restoration), an Aylmer man, 57, an Aylmer man, 26, and a Steinbach, Manitoba, man, 26, after a large outdoor service was held at Aylmer Church of God on Sunday, May 16 in contravention of Ontario’s COVID-19 emergency orders.

Police Chief Zvonko Horvat announced the charges on Tuesday, May 18, two days after a service attended by over 400 on the church grounds, following the court-ordered padlocking of the building itself on Friday, May 14.

Chief Horvat had stated on Monday, May 17, that police would “actively pursue further options to ensure compliance with emergency orders of this particular church and participants in order to protect the community from harm.”