Evangelical musician defies COVID-19 guidelines, hosts worship in Kmart parking lot
Evangelical musician and activist Sean Feucht drew a large crowd to the parking lot of the infamous Kmart in Minneapolis over the weekend, defying COVID-19 guidelines from the city and health officials.
Photos from the event show unmasked people standing close together in a large group – going against the main recommendations to help limit the spread of COVID-19 – on Sunday evening.
To hold an event like this, Feucht had to get approval from the city, which he did not, City of Minneapolis spokesperson Casper Hill told BMTN. The approval includes various permits, as well as a COVID-19 preparedness plan and an intent to abide by it.
"The City spoke with the organizers at Unity Revival in advance of the event to work through the approval processes," Hill said. "Organizers stated they were unwilling to comply with the state COVID-19 guidance for outdoor events by limiting the event to a maximum of 250 individuals at one time.
"The City denied the application to use the former Kmart space and requested they remove any reference to the address or Kmart in their online materials associated with the event," Hill added.
When an event is held without proper approval, enforcement action can be taken. However, Hill said, "The City chose not to ask police to arrest trespassers during the event. Retroactive action is being considered."
Feucht's stop at 10 W Lake St. in Minneapolis on Sunday was part of a tour of outdoor worships he's doing across the country, including several stops in the Midwest, in part to protest COVID-19 restrictions.
According to Fox News, Feucht began holding these "Let Us Worship" protests across California after the governor banned singing during worship services, which he did in July to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Feucht hasn't been a stranger to Minneapolis this year. In June, he visited the George Floyd memorial, prompting people to accuse him of "co-opting" the memorial. He's expected to visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, where Jacob Blake was shot, on Sept. 16, according to his website.
BMTN has reached out to Feucht for comment.
