The attorney for an Ohio pastor who reportedly faces criminal charges for housing the poor is accusing City of Bryan officials of “unlawful harassment” and waging “lawfare.”
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Ryan Gardner, an attorney with First Liberty, a religious liberty law firm, told CBN News there’s a hearing May 13 seeking injunctive relief to stop the city’s actions against Dad’s Place and its pastor, Chris Avell.
“On April 24th, the fire chief, the assistant fire chief, and a police officer burst through the church’s doors [at] 5:30 a.m. for a surprise, unannounced fire inspection,” Gardner said. “And, upon completing that inspection, they immediately cited the church for new violations, which had never been discussed before.”
According to the attorney, the city now requires the church to have fire sprinklers installed, which he finds strange considering officials’ past visits to the building.
“The church has now been inspected six or seven times, and in each of the previous fire inspection reports, never once did they mention sprinklers,” Gardner said. “So, this is nothing more than an example of the city again moving the goalpost, and it’s clear that no matter what the church does, no matter what
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