Charges against an Ontario pastor and his family for joining a rally in 2021, when the province’s COVID-19 gathering limits were in place, were dropped, according to the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF).

In a news release on March 9, the Justice Centre said charges against Henry Hildebrandt, his son Herbert Hildebrandt, and his wife Martha Hildebrandt were all withdrawn by Crown prosecutors in Brantford on Feb. 7.

The charges were related to a “No More Lockdowns” rally held in Brantford on April 3, 2021, where the three participated. Attendees gathered outside to protest COVID-19 mandates implemented by the Ontario government that enforced stay-at-home orders and limits on outside gatherings and worship.

According to the release, Henry Hildebrandt was a speaker at the rally while his family attended as spectators. The pastor spoke to approximately 1,000 people about their guaranteed Charter rights to worship and assemble. At the time, the province restricted outdoor gatherings to no more than five people.

The Justice Centre, which represented the Hildebrandts, said the protest was peaceful. Police presence at the rally had been minimal as they “were operating unnoticed” in the background. It added that the pastor had no interactions with any of the officers during the protest.

The JCCF said after leaving the rally, Hildebrandt and his family stopped at a Tim Hortons for refreshments before heading to their home in Aylmer, a small town in southern Ontario. About 15 minutes later, as their vehicle was about to enter the highway, Hildebrandt’s son noticed a long line of police vehicles behind them.

The police flashed their lights and had the family pulled over to the side of the road, according to the release. The pastor, his son, and his wife were each issued an $880 Provincial Offence Notice ticket for attending a gathering exceeding the five persons limit.

Hildebrandt argued that COVID-19 mandates are “political in nature and not based on science.”

“At a time when government leaders were decreeing that thousands of people could attend a BLM [Black Lives Matter] rally in London, Ontario, over and over again, church congregations were getting tickets for gathering to worship. That’s when it became clear that we were dealing with a political rather than a health issue,” he said in the release.

The pastor took to Twitter on Feb. 17 after learning that the charges in Brantford were dropped.

“Thank God, all charges are being withdrawn after we declined a plea deal. I’m grateful to the @JCCFCanada for their continued legal representation,” he said.

Hildebrandt’s lawyer Chris Fleury said he felt encouraged that some Crown attorneys are starting to “prioritize the prosecution of serious criminal and quasi-criminal offences.”

“Prosecuting individuals such as Pastor Hildebrandt, whose wrongdoing was attending a public rally and giving a speech critical of government policy, has always been a waste of the Court’s time,” said Fleury in the release.

The lawyer added that Hildebrandt still faces prosecutions in other jurisdictions, including in Elgin County where his Church of God is located.

“We will continue to fight these charges aggressively,” he said.

Hildebrandt and his family’s legal defence has been funded solely by the JCCF.