WILLMAR -- A Willmar pastor, who feared there would be protestors at his Sunday morning worship service, requested extra police patrol from the Willmar Police Department this weekend.
There were no protestors.
Police officers did, however, drive by the Harvest Community Church of God on Southwest Litchfield Avenue several times, according to Willmar Police.
Brent Waldemarsen, pastor at the church, had requested extra patrol for his 10 a.m. church service. According to a police report, Waldemarsen was concerned that protestors would disrupt the service.
Waldemarsen, who is involved in a statewide organization to get the gay marriage ban amendment on the ballot, admitted this week that he secretly recorded Sen. Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar, as Johnson spoke with a group of local pastors in January.
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In the tape, Johnson is heard saying that several of the Minnesota Supreme Court justices assured him that the state's current law prohibiting marriage between gay individuals would not be challenged. The recording has caused a political controversy in the state.
Johnson, who didn't know he was being recorded, has apologized for the statements.
According to police, protestors opposed to gay marriage have been present in the past at Calvary Lutheran Church, when Johnson, who is a Lutheran pastor there, had been preaching.
