The Freethinker
DESPITE placing a sign on its window threatening to prosecute COVID-19 enforcement officials if they dared enter, police went in to a Christian cafe-cum-bookshop in Nottinghamshire and broke up a gathering of between 40 and 50 people.
They also arrested two patrons who refused to provide their details when officers attempted to fine them £200 for breaching England’s second coronavirus lockdown.
The incident occurred at the Mustard Seed in Gedling on Saturday, according to details posted on Facebook by Nottinghamshire Police. They said:
On arrival the premises was locked with a large number of people inside – despite the health protection regulations.
It comes after officers had earlier visited the premises, at around 1.45pm, to support Gedling Borough Council after reports the cafe was continuing trading.
The business had already been fined £1,000 by the authorities for breaking lockdown rules and ordered to close.
Chief Inspector Rob Shields, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
Officers attended to engage with and disperse people who had gathered in contravention of the national lockdown.
The lockdown legislation is intended to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and protect the NHS.
Most people across the county have been playing their part in minimising the spread of the virus but sadly there remain a few people who refuse to adhere to our efforts to engage, explain and educate and consequently we will not hesitate to enforce the regulations.
According to this Premier report, Gedling Borough Council said that The Mustard Seed must close immediately or face further consequences.
Councillor John Clarke, leader of the council, told Nottinghamshire Live:
Following a visit to the Mustard Seed business our Environmental Health Team have issued a £1,000 fixed penalty notice due to a failure to comply with the regulations set out by government that non-essential businesses must close until December 3.
The proprietor of the business has been told that they must now close the operation or face further enforcement action.
The owner of the business, Chris Stala, cited the Magna Carta – a 13th-century legal declaration that the monarchy and government are not above the law – as justification for keeping the premises open.
I know that I’m standing on the Constitution of the country which is based on the 10 commandments, you know, that you love God above all and your fellow man and so they came and on the Friday and I had five policemen in my shop and and the woman from the environment agency telling me I needed to close and I said no, I’m remaining open and so they tried to put a fine on me.
Then on the Saturday we opened as normal. And this time I got overwhelmed with the support. You know, the shop was absolutely full of people just wanting to show their support. And again, the police came but this time, I’d got my trespass notice on so they couldn’t come into the shop.
Local cops treated the sign with the contempt it deserved, and they took steps to break up the gathering.
Stala, who believes the pandemic has been exaggerated, disputed the number of people in the store at the time and told Premier it was around 20.
According to a sign posted on the door of The Mustard Seed, the owners were simply:
Exercising their rights to earn a living. We have a right to enter into lawful dissent if we feel we are being governed unjustl. Contrary to common belief, our sovereign and her government are only there to govern us and not rule us. This must be done within the constraint of our common law and the freedoms asserted to us by such law.
Another sign in the window declared that:
Law-abiding men and women are permitted to enter as patrons but all corporate persons or Crown agents enter here as trespassers.
It emphasised that trespassers may be prosecuted.
Stala remains defiant, telling Premier that she planned to stay open for people to gather for “mental health support.”
One COVID-19 sceptic, a “health, fitness and lifestyle” coach named Jurga Proudlove, above, left this idiotic comment on the cops’ post:
How are people having a cup of tea in the cafe spreading the virus to others?
I’d love a cup of coffee
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