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Pastor Tobias Tissen and his wifescreenshot/YouTube

(LifeSiteNews) — A Canadian pastor was set free Wednesday after spending two nights in a Winnipeg jail for allegedly violating Manitoba’s COVID rules months ago.

“I’M FREE!! Thank you for all the prayers and support! Isa 40:31 KJV But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint,” tweeted Pastor Tobias Tissen of the Church of God Restoration, located in Steinbach, Manitoba.

Tissen was arrested Monday night by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in front of his home during a traffic stop. Family members were looking on as he was handcuffed and placed in a police cruiser.

Manitoba Justice had issued a warrant against Tissen because he attended an anti-lockdown protest in Winnipeg in May that allegedly violated public health orders. At the time, no more than five people were allowed to gather outdoors.

Video of Tissen’s Monday arrest was posted on social media by Pastor Henry Hildebrandt of the Church of God in Aylmer, Ontario.

In the video, a voice can be heard saying, “Be strong buddy, you got this all day.”

Tissen’s mom was prevented by police from saying goodbye to him.

“My mom is moving to Austria, I’m not resisting, just let her give me a hug,” Tissen can be heard saying.

Shortly before being taken away, Tissen’s mom can be heard saying, “God bless you Tobias, be strong, I love you.”

Tissen’s brother also tried to say goodbye to him, telling police, “Is this what Canada has come to, you can do this to somebody who has been a faithful pastor?”

Tissen was to be released Tuesday. However, according to his Twitter page, he was not released “due to his refusal to sign the conditions of release.

Some of the conditions included agreeing to “abide by all public health restrictions, and agreeing not to communicate with certain individuals.”

Tissen is being represented by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF).

For months now, Tissen and his church have been battling the government health orders. The church, along with Tissen, has been fined thousands of dollars.

Just recently, Manitoba Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin said that COVID restrictions including jab mandates will remain in place until at least mid-2022.

Manitoba has some of the strictest COVID rules in place in Canada. Since September 3, the province has had a vaccine passport that is needed to access restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, museums, and outdoor and indoor sporting events.

Even before the introduction of vaccine passports, the province had strict rules in place banning all gatherings.

Despite the province’s state of emergency officially ending Thursday, which had been in place since March 20, COVID rules will remain.

Tissen’s arrest and jailing come around the same time that Pastor Phil Hutchings of His Tabernacle Family Church located in Saint John, New Brunswick, was arrested for allegedly breaking local COVID rules.

Strict COVID rules also led to three Alberta Christian pastors to be put in jail earlier in the year.

One of these pastors, Artur Pawlowski, made international headlines after being arrested in a highway takedown in May. A judge ruled that Pawlowski would not have to serve extra jail time. However, he also ruled that Pawlowski must say COVID jabs “save lives” against his will when he speaks in public.

COVID rules, including vaccine passports, have been enacted even though people who have taken the experimental COVID-19 jabs can still contract and spread the disease.

The COVID jab trials have never produced evidence that vaccines stop infection or transmission. They do not even claim to reduce hospitalization, but the measurement of success is in preventing severe symptoms of COVID-19.

Contact information

Premier of Manitoba Kelvin Goertzen

Phone: 204-945-3714
Fax: 204-949-1484
Email [email protected]

204 Legislative Building
450 Broadway
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8

To contact your Manitoba MLA click here.