Flash light brandishing police cleared out an illegal church service in Cardiff.
South Wales Police officers were called to the New Hope Community Church in Llanrumney on Sunday evening following reports of a congregation.
They walked into the building to find a large number of people worshipping inside, Wales Online reported.
A video of the incident filmed from inside the church was uploaded to Facebook after the incident.
A person in the video, who is wearing a mask as is everyone inside the church, can be heard saying: "We are at church right now and the police just showed up.
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"They have knocked on all the windows and the doors, they shined flashlights, so please pray for us right now.
"I'm just letting you know this is happening. This is in Cardiff.
"We are not even in a third world country right now, this is in Cardiff."
The officers then informed the congregation that they are breaching coronavirus regulations.
He asks them to leave the church, to pray and worship at home and to wait for the 17 day 'firebreak' lockdown to "blow over."
After a discussion with the police officers, the congregation agrees to leave the church.
In the video one person, who appears to be the church pastor, tells the officers: "This is really strange and, I say it respectfully, we love you guys as police officers and we are not law-breaking people.
"But when they say to us that it is illegal to come and worship our God, this is the West, this isn't a nation somewhere far off somewhere else."
The police officer tells the pastor the government is not telling them not to worship, but is "asking you not to gather indoors".
Another person in the video can be heard saying: "You will be asking us not to believe next."
The police officer responds: "As a Christian myself, I am not going to do that.
"I have a Christian family. My own mother is finding other ways to pray."
The video shows the people in the church praying for the next couple of minutes before people starting to leave.
The video was shared by the church on its Facebook page, which said: "It’s a strange season.
"If someone would have said a year ago that gathering to worship your God and praying together would be interrupted and disbanded by the police, no one should have believed it.
"But here we are. 2020. Wales. UK. It is an illegal thing to gather. To sing. See for yourselves."
Under the current firebreak in Wales which runs until November 9, places of worship are not open to the public, other than for wedding or civil partnership ceremonies or funerals, where people can attend at the invitation of the organiser.
Faith leaders are permitted to access the place of worship to broadcast an act of worship or funeral, whether over the internet or as part of a radio or television broadcast.
Last week some church leaders in Wales wrote to First Minister Mark Drakeford to urge him to allow services to go ahead.
Pastor Kevin Berthiaume, of Calvary Chapel Cardiff, told the Express and Star : “I do not envy the Government’s position and recognise that the management of this crisis must be overwhelming.
“However, rather than shut down churches, the Government should have employed them.
“Throughout our history it has always been the influence and power of the church that has sustained people through the darkest of times.”
A spokesperson for South Wales Police confirmed that they had attended the church and had encouraged people there to comply by the rules.
"Officers moved outside the church to allow five minutes of prayer after which all those present left," they said.
"No fixed penalty notices were issued.
"We know civil restrictions are frustrating and disheartening for people, but by following them, we can all play a part in protecting our communities and the National Health Service.
"Please take time to understand the latest regulations, all of which can be found on the Welsh Government website."
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