CNA Staff, Nov 16, 2020 / 10:30 am
Police halted a baptism in a Baptist church in London on Sunday, citing the country's coronavirus restrictions that include bans on weddings and baptisms. The restrictions have been criticized by the Catholic bishops of England and Wales.
A pastor at The Angel Church in London's Islington borough held a baptism with approximately 30 people in attendance, in violation of the country's public health restrictions. Metropolitan police halted the baptism and stood guard outside the church to prevent anyone from entering, BBC News reported on Sunday.
After the baptism was stopped, Pastor Regan King reportedly agreed to hold an outdoor gathering. According to the Evening Standard, 15 people remained inside the church while another 15 people gathered outside to pray. The original planned event was a baptism and an in-person service, the Evening Standard reported.
The U.K. government implemented its second set of major, nationwide restrictions during the pandemic, closing pubs, restaurants, and "non-essential" businesses for four weeks due to a surge in virus cases.