An estimated nine to ten thousand people attended a “Let Us Worship” protest in downtown Nashville on late Sunday afternoon. The event was hosted by Sean Feucht, a Christian artist known for his leadership in the California-based megachurch, Bethel Church.
Attendees flocked to the Public Square in downtown Nashville, in front of Metro Courthouse. The day of the event, Feucht announced in a Twitter video the last-minute arrangements for time and location.
“It’s officially a protest, okay? So it’s legal!”
According to Feucht, police officers estimated that nine to ten thousand people were in attendance. The event reportedly didn’t have a permit.
“I EXALT THEE” in downtown Nashville, Tennessee!!!
One church. One voice. One pursuit.#LetUsWorship pic.twitter.com/PAoYU3IxxU
— Sean Feucht (@seanfeucht) October 12, 2020
The Metro Public Health Department issued a statement Monday that the city would take action against Feucht.
“The Metro Public Health Department is working with other Metro Departments to investigate the event that took place Sunday in front of the Metro Courthouse. The event organizer did not submit an application to the Health Department or permit application to any Metro department. We have worked very hard to slow the spread of COVID by taking a measured approach to the community. The Health Department is very concerned by the actions that took place at the event and we are investigating and will pursue appropriate penalties against the organizer.”
The department didn’t issue any statements on adherence to pandemic mandates following the George Floyd protests and riots back in May.
Nashville is currently in Phase III. Any events over 25 people must have approval from the Metro Department of Health, with a maximum of 500 people or 30 percent capacity. All event attendees must wear masks.
Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake also issued a statement on the matter rebuking the leaders and attendees:
At a time when Nashville has been making real progress at controlling the spread of coronavirus, I am greatly disappointed that the organizer of Sunday’s event and those in attendance did not better prioritize their health and the health of others through social distancing and the wearing of face coverings. Personal responsibility is a necessity regardless of the purpose for a public event.
The chief added that their department is assisting the Metro Health Department in reviewing the event.
“Let Us Worship” is one in a series of similar protests hosted by Feucht against COVID-19 restrictions across the nation. The movement began in California following Governor Gavin Newsom’s ban on singing in churches. In the past month alone, Feucht hosted events attended consistently by thousands in Georgia, North Carolina, California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Colorado.
Feucht is also known for founding “Hold the Line,” a political activism movement encouraging Christians to get involved in politics. Feucht ran for California’s 3rd Congressional District, losing the primary election in March.
Another “Let Us Worship” occurred in Charleston, South Carolina on Monday night.
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Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
Image “Let Us Worship” by Sean Feucht.
Who are they going to file charges against? If the church, the organizer, then perhaps all 10, 000 participants should demand to be part of the action? What would those government tyrants do then?
Time for our governor to step up and stop the madness
So now you have to get a permit from the government to protest the government?
Exactly.
Oops, they forgot to break windows and set dumpsters on fire. If they had, all would be well in Cooper-land.
It was an absolutely amazing wonderful event! It was all about healing, getting rid of depression and suicide. People and families danced and there was laughter and kindness and prayer to our God. People from cities, other states, loving and caring. This is what America is all about! There were no problems with any body, people left the land cleaner than they found it. Police were not needed, security was not needed because there was Peace. I think we are all aware Nashville is a Blue liberal democrat city. So of course all the Nashville demons are going to manifest. I agree they need to be ignored because they are illegal, their complaints are illegal. Its time for the evil swamp to be cleaned out! God is on the move in Nashville and Tenn.
Did the Metro Health Department take action against BLM? When is Governor Lee and the State Legislature going to step in, and stop this arbitrary stripping of citizen’s rights by Herr Cooper?
We do not and will not accept authoritarianism in America, Tennessee or Nashville! RECALL COOPER!
Reckless behavior that jeopardizes us all. Charges should be brought against all those in attendance. No permit…no get out of jail free!!!
How did this jeopardize you? Were you there? These people had as much right to be there as your socialist liberal friends who’s protest was NOT peaceful, this one was.
Bars and stores should just open. People should go without masks. If you feel you are compromised, STAY HOME. What are they going to do, arrest everyone? This is getting beyond ridiculous. Wake UP, people!
Without the looting, violence, and vandalism, I guess this gathering didn’t meet the qualifications of an officially sanctioned protest. Or was it because the Chicken Coop didn’t invite them?
Nobody checked to see if BLM or Antifa had a permit. Maybe this police chief should put the donuts down, open his eyes, and recognize what the real problem Nashville is facing. Here’s a hint for my knuckle dragging boys (and boy wannabes) in blue, IT ISN’T COVID, IT’S THE MAYOR!
On the other hand, I’m sure many of the Christians at this protest believe in the divine protection from this virus as they gather together in His name.
If you’re going to argue “First Amendment” for the “right” to protest, you have to acknowledge “First Amendment” when it comes to public worship, too. The again, “If it wasn’t for double standards…”, amIright?
I’m pretty sure that the “temporary” shut down succeeded in “flattening the curve”. I’m also pretty sure the curve was so flat in some places in Tennessee, it was wearing pink to remind you of it’s femininity! It is coming out that these power gr- um- “health emergency powers” have been overextended.
So now Nashville Democrats are prohibiting Christian Events? Maybe it should be called Commie Nashville! Democrats are evil God Hating people!
All the while McDonald’s stays open. Brilliant. Got to give it to those in Government.
“The day of the event, Feucht announced in a Twitter video the last-minute arrangements for time and location”. Sounds like a protest similar to how BLM arranged their protests through social media. The health department and Cooper right now are trying to determine what happened in the aftermath of these other events that occurred in other cities. Their fear is there was not a spike of positive tests that might reveal the nothing-burger of this pandemic. Not that they have been transparent with this information as we have seen but they only way they keep this going to through mass testing events (groups like prisons, residential facilities, employers who require it). The recent increase in rural cases was likely related to this type of group testing. The next thing we will see is vaccine blackmail – we can’t open up until everyone agrees to be vaccinated.
What would happen if they wanted to paint a mural on a Nasville street: “Jesus is Lord”? If BLM is allowed to paint a mural on a street, as was reported re: Woodland Street, then ALL groups and organizations should be allowed. That’s “the rule of law” and “no one is above the law”. Surely Mayor Cooper and the Council supports that, right?? Similarly, mass gatherings should be all be allowed in accordance with basic ordinances EXCEPT blocking public thoroughfares.
Ignore the Metro Health Dept. and their fines. Take the power from these unelected bureaucrats by withdrawing any consent to be governed by their edicts. Let them attempt to enforce their tyranny and all should respond by ignoring them.
Democrat Communist progressives are definitely anti Christian and so is the Cooper administration. Cooper’s justification for this investigation will be distorted by his lies and warped Health Dept numbers, but hey I have read the Bible and evil does not win!
Right here. In the bottom of the Bible belt. Needs to resign California
Of course Herr Cooper and his fascist Health Department friends will do all they can the eradicate religion. It is what Marxist tyrants do.
Resist Marxism. Recall Mini Cooper.
Right Bubba, their agenda is clearly stated. Both fascists andMarxists are political authoritarians who use anarchists as their foot soldiers, just as the NAZI Brownshirts and Lenin’s “useful idiot” Bolsheviks.
“We must hate. Hatred is the basis of communism. Children must be taught to hate their parents if they are not communists.” – Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
“We make war against all prevailing ideas of religion, of the state, of country, of patriotism. The idea of God is the keynote of a perverted civilization. It must be destroyed.” –Karl Marx
I thought that peaceful protests were allowed. It is when the Dems and the communists do it. Mask wearing is not even required. Maybe someone in the crowd ought to throw a couple of ‘spit balls’ to make it legal.