Police Enter Church and Stop Worship Service Over “Event Permit” Dispute
On 9 January 2026, police entered a church building in Tilburg and interrupted an ongoing faith-healing and worship service led by Dutch evangelist Tom de Wal, after the acting mayor prohibited the gathering on the grounds that it constituted an “event” for which no permit had been granted. The service had been relocated from Eindhoven following announced protests by LGBTIQ+ advocacy groups, which opposed De Wal's religious activity. De Wal proceeded with the religious gathering despite the prohibition and was later arrested outside the church and cited for violating a municipal ordinance.
The service had initially been scheduled to take place at a hotel in Eindhoven but was cancelled following announced demonstrations by LGBTIQ+ groups, including Queer040 and Eindhoven Pride, which opposed De Wal’s healing ministry and accused him of practising “conversion therapy”, including through prayer with people experiencing same-sex attraction. De Wal rejected the allegations, stating: “I have never done conversion therapy; that has been fabricated by the media,” and “We have never prayed for gay healing, but due to media lies, our service could not continue.” His meetings include public prayers for people suffering from illnesses such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
Following the cancellation, the service was relocated to a church building in Tilburg. Despite taking place inside a place of worship, the acting mayor classified the gathering as an event requiring a permit and prohibited it because no such permit had been granted. A municipal representative stated: “It was an event, and no event permit had been granted.” De Wal’s organisation, Frontrunners, disputed this characterisation, maintaining that it was a church service held inside a church building, with no tickets being sold. Lawyer Lieneke Blijdorp also questioned the justification for the intervention, noting that the mayor had reportedly acknowledged that there was no threat of confrontation between groups because of the peaceful nature of the worship.
Despite the prohibition, the service began inside the church. Police subsequently entered the church during the gathering and ordered the service to stop. De Wal later continued praying with attendees outside and was arrested at approximately 18:45 while speaking to the media. He was released the same evening with a citation for violating a municipal ordinance.
The incident prompted political and religious concern about the authorities’ interference with a religious gathering. Diederik van Dijk of the Reformed Political Party announced parliamentary questions, stating: “An arrest for a religious meeting. This raises a lot of questions. Freedom of religion, association and expression is a great asset that deserves protection.” The Council of Churches in the Netherlands similarly expressed concern about government intervention in a religious gathering and emphasised the fundamental status of freedom of religion in a democratic constitutional state.
The case raises particular concerns because the authorities did not merely regulate activity in a public space but entered a church and brought an ongoing religious service to an end, claiming that the prayer gathering required an event permit, although religious services are not subject to such a requirement. It also follows the cancellation of the original venue amid announced protests against De Wal’s religious activities, illustrating the wider risk that pressure and opposition from activist groups can contribute to restrictions on religious expression.
Police intervention to terminate an ongoing religious service inside a church constitutes a serious interference with the right to freedom of religion, which under human rights law may only be restricted where the interference is prescribed by law, pursues a recognised legitimate aim and is necessary in a democratic society.
Source: revive.nl, raadvankerken.nl, nltimes, Revive (YouTube)
Photo: rtl.nl