A Los Angeles County judge denied the county’s request for a temporary restraining order against a prominent evangelical church and its pastor after they did not comply with Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order to shutter their house of worship because of the coronavirus.
Judge James Chalfant agreed with Grace Community Church and Pastor John MacArthur that the burden rested on Los Angeles County officials to prove why they were justified in infringing upon the church’s right to freely exercise their religion. The church nevertheless agreed to abide by mask and social distancing protocols at least until the full hearing in September.
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