The video tape showed a police sergeant on horseback telling church members to get off the street and on to the nearby sidewalks. At one point somebody's hand goes over the video lens. The man who took the footage said this was a police officer. Several congregation members said they were surprised by the harsh police response because they've developed good relations with cops during street preaching in previous Zozobra burnings. Byers, who works for the state probation and parole office, said the incident raises concerns about police just as voters are preparing to go to the polls Sept. 21 to decide whether to raises taxes for more officers.
Some members give away religious pamphlets.