Christian nationalist Sean Feucht, the far-right extremist preacher and musician, has emerged on the scene as an extremist provocateur. His upcoming performances in Canada are receiving a considerable amount of protest. Eight cities have revoked permits for Feucht’s shows, which has sparked a heated debate over the boundaries of free expression and hate speech.
This is not the first time Feucht has generated negative attention for provocative public displays and comments. He staged anti-gay protests outside Disneyland and protested mask mandates during the Covid-19 pandemic. Modern culture accepts homosexuality; he brazenly denounces it. He argues that kids in kindergarten are taught “transgenderism” and that they should feel “bad because they were born white.” Additionally, he has called for a theocratic society ruled by nothing less than “biblical moral law.”
Among the cities that cancelled Feucht’s performances are Halifax, Nova Scotia, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Moncton, New Brunswick, Quebec City, Quebec, Vaughan, Ontario, and Abbotsford, British Columbia. Even the municipal government in Winnipeg, Manitoba, denied him a permit on the basis of “operational challenges.” Mayor Cynthia Block stated that she received numerous complaints about Feucht and has been in contact with local police regarding safety concerns.
At time of writing, the city of Saskatoon in Saskatchewan has approved a permit for Feucht’s show tentatively scheduled for August 21. This ruling decision led to increasing scrutiny. Meanwhile, municipal governments in Kelowna and Edmonton, Alberta, are still evaluating whether to allow his planned tour stops later this month.
“Freedom of expression is one of our fundamental values, but hateful and discriminatory speech is not accepted in Montreal and, as in other Canadian cities, the show will not be tolerated.” – A spokesperson for the Montreal mayor’s office.
Feucht’s attempt to tour Canada led to heated national discussions. People are asking serious questions about how far local governments should go to facilitate performances by artists connected to white nationalist and white supremacist ideologies. Candace Banks, an activist working to stop Feucht’s shows, reported that she had safety concerns.
“He spews hate speech. There’s a fine line between freedom of speech and hate speech,” – Candace Banks.
She further added, “[Feucht’s performance] is putting the public at risk, their safety at risk.”
Just last month in Montreal, a church that hosted Feucht was fined $2,500 for doing so. City officials had previously refused him a performance permit due to his inflammatory opinions. This seemingly petty fine captures well the ongoing conflict between municipalities’ desire for local control and religious institutions’ right to free expression.
The pushback against Feucht goes beyond municipal leaders. Leading free expression advocate James Turk made an unusual observation — paradox, if you will. He explained how the attempts to censor him tend to backfire and give him even more publicity.
“The attempt to censor him is actually giving him a platform,” – James Turk.
Cynthia Block reemphasized the responsibility of local governments to protect freedom of speech while protecting public safety. She repeated that officials are doing their best to stay within the bounds of valid legislation while acknowledging the very real dangers that Feucht’s dangerous speech may cause.
“They are doing their due diligence to make sure that they are following all of the correct legislation to protect freedom of speech, but understanding foundationally that this is a safety issue. It is a physical safety issue, and I am personally worried,” – Cynthia Block.
As the controversy unfolds, communities across Canada grapple with the implications of allowing or denying access to figures like Feucht. His next show is scheduled for October 19th in Phoenix, AZ. Congregants are chomping at the bit to assemble for praise come this globally-connected celebration.