MAGA-affiliated musician scheduled to play in 2 B.C. public parks despite pushback
West Kelowna and Abbotsford stops on American preacher's tour spark security concerns from community
City staff in West Kelowna and Abbotsford are reviewing safety, permitting and bylaw compliance after receiving multiple complaints about upcoming performances by U.S. Christian Nationalist performer and preacher Sean Feucht.
The performances, scheduled to be held in West Kelowna's Memorial Park and Abbotsford's Mill Lake Park next month, are part of Feucht's third annual cross-Canada Let Us Worship tour.
The tour is drawing criticism from some Canadians, as many of the public locations that are scheduled to host the free event are owned by governments and Crown corporations.
"If somebody like this wants to perform, maybe they should do it at a church, not at a public space outdoors," said Kaz Zbanitajs, a resident of West Kelowna. "My tax dollars go towards this space, and I don't want a dime of it going towards supporting somebody who is divisive and who has some very controversial views."
Several locations, including Parks Canada in Nova Scotia and the National Capital Commission in Quebec, have withdrawn permitting for the event, citing safety concerns. At least six of the worship events were cancelled, with some rescheduled on private property.
Feucht, who has ties to the MAGA movement, unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Congress as a Republican in 2020 and has been a vocal supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump. He is known for worship services and protests of 2SLGBTQ+, abortion rights and COVID-19 mandates.
"Here's the hard truth: If I had shown up with purple hair and a dress, claiming to be a woman, the government wouldn't have said a thing. But to publicly profess deeply held Christian beliefs is to be labelled an extremist and to have free worship events classified as 'public safety risks'," said Feucht in an emailed statement to CBC News.
The City of West Kelowna said it has received dozens of letters and calls on the upcoming performance and aims to address the safety concerns by working with the RCMP and asking the event organizer to meet the necessary security requirements.
"We are limited in our ability to restrict access to public spaces, and we are taking this opportunity to review our booking procedures and explore additional policies for future facility rentals," said a spokesperson for the City of West Kelowna in an emailed statement. The city said private events held in its facilities do not reflect the views or values of the City of West Kelowna.
In an emailed statement, the City of Abbotsford said its role in permitting community events is to ensure public safety and bylaw compliance, and it remains neutral and does not endorse any specific viewpoints or messages conveyed during events.
West Kelowna resident Scott Gillespie, who penned one of the letters received by the City of West Kelowna, has asked the municipality to ensure there is space for a counter-demonstration.
"The presence of a figure like Mr. Feucht — whose events have a documented history of inciting tension — poses a legitimate risk to the well-being of marginalized residents, especially LGBTQ2S+ individuals, and may compromise the sense of safety in public spaces."
Despite the pushback regarding the Canadian legs of the Let Us Worship tour, Feucht said in a post on social media on Thursday that he is "not backing down."
He is scheduled to play in West Kelowna on Aug. 23 and Abbotsford on August 24.
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With files from Joseph Otoo and Christine Coulter