After 175+ Complaints, Motion Church To Require Masks: Report

PUYALLUP, WA — After months of pushing back against the state's COVID-19 safety restrictions, Motion Church says they will now begin to enforcing masking and social distancing guidelines, according to a new report from The News Tribune.

As The News Tribune explains, the church — which has locations in Puyallup, Bonney Lake and South Hill — has been drawing significant controversy over the past year for refusing to enforce pandemic safety guidelines in its congregations, netting over 180 complaints to the Washington State Department of Health.

The church posts many videos and hosts live services over social media which, as The News Tribune notes, frequently show parishioners maskless and too close together to be following social distancing requirements.

The church says they have not received complaints from their congregation, but will be further enforcing pandemic safety guidelines following a letter from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, The News Tribune reported.

Under the state's COVID-19 guidelines for religious and faith-based organizations, churches are required to enforce mask use before, during and after services. They're also forbidden from hosting live music performances, though the church's social media feed shows it has hosted several recent concerts.

>> Read the full report in The News Tribune