At least nine women, all members of a Mobile-area church outreach group, were arrested Thursday and charged with disorderly conduct while soliciting donations at an intersection.

According to WPMI, which had cameras at the scene, the women were taken into custody by Mobile police in the parking lot of a Dollar Tree store adjacent to the intersection.

The women arrested are affiliated with One Way Restoration ministries. According to its Facebook page, it’s “a 9-month, in-house, faith-based recovery program to help individuals with any type of life struggles such as abuse, additions, anger, suicidal tendencies, homelessness, etc.”

The women were soliciting at the corner of Cottage Hill Road and Demetropolis Road Thursday afternoon when the run-in with police occurred. A witness told WPMI he has seen the group at that intersection before.

“The individuals who were arrested yesterday were apprehended due to a traffic hazard,” the Mobile Police Department said in an e-mail to AL.com, “as they refused to move out of the street when officers requested, leading to their arrest for disorderly conduct.”

All nine of the women arrested were charged with one count of disorderly conduct. Each has posted $500 bond and been released from Mobile Metro Jail. Two of the women had prior arrest records — one for disorderly conduct in November, and another for drug possession in 2021 and 2023.

Nathan Belcher, pastor of One Way Restoration Ministries, said they’ve had interactions with Mobile police in the past and called Thursday’s police action “foolishness.” He told the TV station they will be taking legal action against the Mobile Police Department. The ministry’s website says its a 501(c)(3) organization and registered with the City of Mobile.