by: paul cherry
an outremont resident was recently found guilty of violating the public health act after montreal police discovered him leading nine other people in prayer in his backyard less than a month after the provincial government prohibited all indoor and outdoor assemblies.
yehlida usher rothbart was fined $1,000 last week after a justice of the peace determined he violated the act on april 16, 2020.
according to julie laliberté’s decision, someone called montreal police to report what they believed was a gathering of families from different dwellings in rothbart’s backyard.
“two police officers observed 10 people on the back balcony of the residence: five men and five children. two women (were) also inside the house, visible through the window,” laliberté noted in her decision.
“mr. rothbart, part of the hasidic jewish community, (was) standing on the balcony facing the other men who (were) lined up shoulder to shoulder about two feet apart. he (was) leading a prayer.”
it turned out that everyone present that day was related to rothbart, including his two daughters, two sons who resided at the home, two sons-in-law and his grandchildren.
while the police were at his home, and during his trial, rothbart argued that “at that time, his two daughters, both pregnant, and their respective family members had temporarily moved into their home. he thus contends that all people present on the scene were ‘occupants’ of the same private residence.”