Permit revoked for MAGA musician's planned Charlottetown performance

The City of Charlottetown has revoked the permit for an upcoming concert by controversial U.S. Christian musician Sean Feucht that was set to take place on land owned by the city.

"After consultation with Charlottetown Police Services, the City of Charlottetown has notified the organizer… that their permit has been revoked due to evolving public safety and security concerns," the city said in a news release Wednesday afternoon.

"This review included a conversation with one of the counter event organizers, as well as a review of social media comments, some of which included threatening language and indications there could be damage to property and equipment.

"A threatening poster was also left at the front door of City Hall yesterday evening. All indications were that there were public safety concerns with allowing the event to proceed, especially in a public, family-friendly space."

Feucht, a rising star in the MAGA movement, is a missionary and author who has spoken out against the 2SLGBTQ+ community, abortion rights and critical race theory on his website. He had been scheduled to perform Thursday at Confederation Landing on the Charlottetown waterfront — days before the city marks Pride Fest 2025.

Tuesday, the city distanced itself from the scheduled performance, saying it was not a "city-sponsored event" and that it was limited in restricting access to public spaces "from a legal standpoint."

In that release, the city said it wanted to be clear in its full support of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

'Made the right call'

Cameron Cassidy, executive director of Pride P.E.I., said she is thankful the city is doing the right thing and revoking the artist's permit to perform. 

"I think that that just shows a lot of respect for the queer community on their end to be able to respond," she said. 

Cassidy said Pride P.E.I. is looking forward to ensuring the festival will be a safe place for everyone. 

Premier Rob Lantz said he, too, supports the city's decision, especially given its timing. 

"This is a terrible time to create this kind of division and controversy when we've got Pride events coming up," Lantz told CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin on Wednesday.

"I intend to be there to support the Pride events later this week. And it sounds like the city's made the right call here to calm the waters and show support for our Pride community."

Event doesn't reflect 'values of inclusivity,' says MP

Prior to the city revoking the permit, Charlottetown MP Sean Casey said in a post on social media that many people expressed concerns to him about the concert. 

"While I fully respect the right to freedom of expression, I do not believe this event reflects the values of inclusivity and respect that define the City of Charlottetown or the Government of Canada," Casey wrote in a Facebook post. 

"I've been in direct contact with the Mayor and the CAO to share these concerns." 

CBC News reached out to Casey, but he declined further comment. 

It shouldn't come to public backlash for this to happen. It should have been stopped at the city level.— Karla Bernard, Green Party MLA

P.E.I. Green Party MLA Karla Bernard, who represents the downtown Charlottetown district where the concert was set to take place, said she is glad the city took action. 

She said the fact that there was a permit issued for this event in the first place indicates the need for a policy change to prevent giving power to people who spread hate. 

"It shouldn't come to public backlash for this to happen. It should have been stopped at the city level," Bernard said. 

She said people expressed safety concerns to her due to the nature of the concert and its timing being so close to that of Charlottetown's Pride parade. 

"Even though the city said it wasn't a city-sanctioned event, the city was allowing them to perform on a city stage, a public stage. What message does that send?" Bernard said. "Revoking that permit was absolutely the right thing to do."

Sarah Outram, a board member of Fusion Charlottetown, said the organization received many concerns about how the event could impact Pride festivities.

"This is a time of celebration, of remembrance, of reminding us that love matters more than hate, that we are here to unite as a country," Outram said.

Fusion Charlottetown is a non-profit organization aimed aimed at making the city a better place to live for people between the ages of 18 and 40. 

Concerts cancelled in other Maritime cities

Feucht was also set to perform in Moncton, but that city also revoked its permit Wednesday. 

That followed the cancellation of a scheduled performance at the York Redoubt National Historic Site in Halifax on Wednesday, Parks Canada revoked that permit after outcry from some residents. 

That concert will now take place at 338 Crombe Rd. in Shubenacadie, N.S., a rural area about 60 kilometres north of Halifax. That address is associated with a religious group called Lighthouse Ministries.

It remains unclear if Feucht is on the hunt for a venue to play on P.E.I. 

Feucht did not respond to the CBC's request for comment, but he posted a message on social media reading, "The greater the resistance, THE GREATER the breakthrough!"

The City of Charlottetown said in its statement Wednesday that it would be reviewing its permitting policies. 

"We are being more proactive in vetting individuals and groups who are likely to promote discrimination, contempt or hatred for any group or person on the basis of race, ethnic origin, language, religion, age, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or any other similar factor," the statement reads.