Illinois State Police Warn Worshippers Who Attend Church On Easter Sunday Could Face Charges, Including ‘Reckless Conduct’

The Illinois State Police are warning that people who attend church services on Easter Sunday may face charges including “reckless conduct.” 

The police said that they will not be storming churches that violate the governor’s stay-at-home order, but that charges could come “down the line.”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order prohibits all gatherings of ten people or more through April 30, including church services.

Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly announced the potential for charges on Thursday. 

“There’s not going to be law enforcement storming into church buildings, that’s not what’s going to happen here,” Kelly said. “That’s not the way to do this.”

“But if people’s lives are put at risk, there are consequences for that down the road if there’s appropriate evidence of that,” Kelly said.

The consequences, Kelly said, include “reckless conduct or other charges.” WJBC reports that some local governments are also looking at leveling civil penalties on top criminal penalties.

Crackdowns on church services this weekend are happening across the nation.

A video is currently going viral of law enforcement telling Pastor Charles Hamilton of King James Bible Baptist Church in Greenville, MS, that his rights are suspended as they broke up a drive-in service he was holding. Police surrounded the parking lot where he was hosting a drive-in service on Thursday evening and fined the worshippers $500 per person.

The state of Kentucky is also cracking down on Easter weekend worshippers by recording the license plates of people who attend services and forcing them to “self-quarantine” for two weeks afterwards.

The action is to discourage people from attending services.

In a statement provided to the Gateway Pundit, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul slammed the governor’s plan.

“Taking license plates at church? Quarantining someone for being Christian on Easter Sunday? Someone needs to take a step back here,” Senator Paul said.