Advocacy Canada has serious concerns over a West Kelowna event planned by controversial American Christian musician Sean Feucht.
A statement from the group claims Feucht’s public activism is “widely regarded as anti-2SLGBTQIA+ and aligned with exclusionary, far-right Christian nationalist movements.”
The organization also claims that his Let Us Worship tour has "generated alarm across North America for its divisive rhetoric and its targeting of queer and trans communities under the guise of religious expression.”
“His documented efforts to roll back rights for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, oppose gender-affirming care, and suppress reproductive rights are incompatible with Canadian values of equity, inclusion, and human dignity,” the statement reads.”
An August 2023 post on Feucht’s X account referred to “satanists and drag queens playing perverted devil worship music laced with profanity.”
“Public spaces belong to everyone,” Wilbur Turner, president of Advocacy Canada, said. “Permitting someone with such a harmful agenda to use a city park for what amounts to a platform for discrimination sends the wrong message, especially to queer youth who are already vulnerable.”
The group is urging city leaders to reflect on the broader consequences of permitting events that promote messages of bigotry and exclusion, at a time when hate crimes against queer and trans people are rising.
“Sean Feucht has the right to his beliefs,” Turner added. “But the city also has the responsibility to ensure its public spaces aren’t being used to promote ideologies that threaten the safety and dignity of marginalized groups.”
The Kelowna Pride Society Board of Directors is also deeply concerned by Feucht’s scheduled event.
"By allowing this event to proceed on public grounds, the City of West Kelowna risks legitimizing and amplifying messages that run counter to inclusion, safety, and human rights," a statement by the board says. "We call on our broader community to stand with us: contact West Kelowna city officials, make your voices heard, and demand accountability. Municipal leaders must be held to a standard that prioritizes the well-being of all residents."
Feucht’s website describes him as a speaker, author, missionary, artist, activist, and the founder of multiple global movements. He has publicly criticized COVID-19 restrictions, led a 2022 protest against The Walt Disney Company over its stance against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, and has been described by U.S. media as a “MAGA superstar” for his support of Donald Trump.
The musician has drawn support and condemnation since his 11 date Let Us Worship tour started on July 23 in Nova Scotia. However, five of those shows have been cancelled, including Halifax, Quebec City, Charlottetown, Moncton, and Vaughan.
In a July 27 Facebook interview, Feucht was asked if the cancellations and criticism he has faced are an attack on religious freedoms in Canada.
“I think that any sane person can see what’s happening,” Feucht told the interviewer. “We don’t even have to talk too much about it if, you know, Christians get fined, persecuted, and smoke bombed, and politicians don’t say anything.”
Feucht was referring to his July 25 concert at a Montreal church where a smoke bomb was set off in the building and protesters gathered outside.
The church is facing a $2,500 fine for hosting the event without a permit.
Courtesy of Right Blend
In a July 23 statement, the City of West Kelowna said that the booking for Feucht’s show at Memorial Park on Aug. 23 is a private event and is not affiliated with any city programming or events.
“In light of the safety concerns identified at the shows scheduled in Eastern Canada, staff are reviewing the safety considerations of this event,” the statement said.
An online petition is calling on the city to cancel Feucht's show. The city anticipates having an update on the event next week.
Feucht is also scheduled to perform in Abbotsford on Aug. 24.
A special-events permit for the show at Mill Lake Park is currently under review by the city.
