As Latah County hit a new record for the most COVID-19 cases in one day, anti-mask protestors gathered by the hundreds to sing psalms in Moscow City Hall’s parking lot, flagrantly violating the mayor’s emergency health order.
The event, dubbed a “flash psalm sing,” was not the first of its nature. Latah County commission candidate Gabriel Rench was arrested and cited by the Moscow Police Department for suspicion of violating Moscow’s face covering and social distancing requirement at a similar event Wednesday, but that didn’t stop him from attending the next one.
According to Rench, Christ Church, a reformed and evangelical church in Moscow, has been doing the psalm sings ever since the city implemented a mask mandate July 2.
“We’ve been doing the psalm things intermittently throughout the mayor’s unconstitutional resolution,” Rench said. “I have a constitutional right to gather, petition and assemble.”
The Republican is running against incumbent Democrat Tom Lamar in November’s county commissioner election. He said a committee was formed on Wednesday to gather signatures for a referendum that would allow Moscow residents to vote for, or against, the mask order.
Yesterday, Public Health – Idaho North Central District reported the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in a single day for Latah County with 31 cases. That record was broken again today as the district reported 33 new cases.
According to Rench, the police officer who detained him said “I don’t want to do this,” while putting him in handcuffs. While recalling his arrest just two days earlier, Rench grew more emboldened.
“Our mayor made the cops do this,” Rench said. “I emailed the city numerous times through all this and have not gotten one response. They don’t want to talk.”
Before Wednesday’s event, MPD reported “90-95% compliance” with the requirements. No prior situation had required a citation, a City of Moscow Facebook post stated Friday.
“The group organizers of the event Sept. 23 advertised on social media accounts that they were going to have a gathering on that date and specifically requested that participants not wear masks,” the post stated. “The message being communicated was to show a disregard for the emergency order. Our police requested compliance, and after a clear showing of non-compliance, our police officers were faced with a situation where they felt an obligation to enforce the lawful order.”
Despite handing out five citations Wednesday, MPD officers were nowhere to be found at the psalm sing Friday.
Zach V., a counter-protestor at the scene who declined to provide his last name, said he called MPD twice to report the mask order violation and was told the department is “monitoring the situation.”
“Honestly, I’m shocked,” V. said. “Why would they enforce the policy on Wednesday, but then not enforce it Friday? It shows a lack of commitment and leadership, either by the police or the city council, I don’t know which one it is.”
MPD officers were not on scene and calls to the station were not immediately returned.
At the peak of Friday’s events, roughly 400 people gathered around a life-size wooden cross, the centerpiece for those participating in the flash psalm sing.
According to Lori Sodorff, a Church of the Nazarene member in Moscow, there was a call from Christ Church for all the congregations to gather.
“As a Christian, I’m tired of sitting back and being silenced,” Sodorff said. “I’m tired of my rights being walked all over.”
However, long-time Moscow resident Holli Cooper came to counter-protest with a sign reading “Real Christians would care about their neighbors; wear a mask.”
While she isn’t religious herself, Cooper said she knows quite a few people in the community who are and that’s she’s watched some of them embrace a “crazy version of Christianity.”
“Not wearing a mask is a complete disregard for the health of people in the community,” Cooper said.
Part of the reason Sodorff attended the flash psalm sing is Rench’s recent arrest, which she said is an injustice.
“I think they realized they opened Pandora’s Box on Wednesday by arresting (Rench),” Sodorff said. “There’s going to be a constitutional lawyer that will be involved, and the City of Moscow is going to have their eyes opened.”
Moscow’s public health emergency order states face coverings must be worn in public when a physical distance of six feet can’t be maintained from non-household members. The order does not apply to those younger than five years old, incarcerated individuals and people with physical or mental health conditions and disabilities which could make wearing a face covering dangerous.
Those who violate the order are subject to a misdemeanor, which carries a maximum punishment of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. According to Cooper, arresting people in violation of the mask order only legitimizes the cause of those opposing it.
“If they can’t enforce the mandate, arresting people does nothing,” Cooper said. “It just gives them what they want. They want to be martyred.”
Angela Palermo can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @apalermotweets
Ashley Vintage
They are cases, which doesn't mean anything! The tests are NOT accurate, read the tiny notice on the bottom of the test. This means nothing! Wake up people, we are not in a state of emergency. https://drjudyamikovits.com/
Jeremy Mutart
Those 33 new cases are all because of the university, not people gathering to sing. I am amazed that no one is up in arms that these covid cases are springing up in the university, and they are not telling the university president to shut down the school. But yes lets protest a peaceful demonstration. And Because the police were not there shows how important this order is to the major, what a hypocrite.