Bakker Says Followers Would Riot if He Gave the Command

FORT MILL, S.C. — Jim Bakker, ordered not to attend the Fourth of July celebration at Heritage USA, had an angry exchange with PTL security guards and warned that his followers would riot if he told them to.

Bakker and his wife, Tammy Faye, had attended a two-hour reception Monday at PTL’s Kevin’s House, a home for handicapped children.

But as the Bakkers--who lost their PTL ministry in a sex scandal last year--started to leave, they were blocked at the door by PTL security chief Gene Irvin, who told them that an order had been issued that Bakker not return to the theme park that evening.

The order apparently stemmed from a demonstration by shrieking supporters Saturday night when the Bakkers showed up at PTL’s Main Street shopping mall.

“Human lives were in danger,” Irvin told Bakker, shaking a finger at him. “We cannot have such scenes. You cannot come back here tonight.”

“We don’t plan to come back here tonight,” said Bakker, his face reddening. “But let me tell you one thing, we haven’t preached one word that wasn’t peace. I am a peaceful man. If I said riot, these people would riot but I haven’t said that.”

Bakker then stormed down the ramp of Kevin’s House.