After protesting drag queen storytime at libraries for children, a Canadian pastor was taken into custody for the second consecutive time.
Pastor Derek Reimer (36), was charged Wednesday with breaching a release that forbids him from being within 200m of events involving the LGBTQ community. A spokesperson for Calgary Police Service said Fox News.
Reimer was previously arrested on March 2, following an incident on February 25, when three men physically tossed Reimer out of Seton Library. This protested a Reading with Royalty event, which featured drag performers reading to children.
Reimer was arrested on one count each of causing a disturbance, mischief, and six counts of harassment in accordance with the city’s bylaw governing general behavior. Livewire Calgary reports that each charge can result in a $10,000 fine and six months imprisonment, if not paid.
Footage from Reimer’s recent arrest outside Signal Hill Library in Calgary shows officers cuffing and dragging Reimer across asphalt before dragging him away in a cop car. Witnesses protested Reimer’s treatment and asked if he was within 200 meters of the incident. He is still in prison and will appear before the court on Friday.
According to the CBC, Tuesday’s Calgary City Council revision of a bylaw was followed by a new one to address protests at drag events.
Modifications included the addition of the term “intimidation” to the existing public behavior bylaw. The new Safe and Inclusive Access Bylaw prohibits protests from being held within 100m of a library or recreation facility entrance. Some councilors expressed concern about the speed at which the new law was passed.
Reimer received a 30-day notice of trespass earlier this week after a silent prayer session at the Municipal Building protesting the new bylaw.
A spokesperson for the city told the CBC that Mr. Reimer had been warned previously that he couldn’t hold a religious event in the Municipal Building unless he had a permit.
BREAKING: Pastor Derek Reimer has been issued a trespass notice for holding a silent prayer inside of Calgary’s city hall.
Stay tuned for updates: https://t.co/Aemeo5Afjl pic.twitter.com/m2xmE6BcSK
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) March 14, 2023
Reimer is a friend of Pastor Artur Pawlowski. He made national headlines when he was repeatedly detained for keeping his Calgary church’s doors open during the pandemic. Fox News Digital reported that Reimer’s arrests indicated the government’s “open hatred towards Christianity.”
He stated, “Everyone visible, every Canadian who boldly proclaims Christianity, has become an open target.”
He said that Calgary was a bit immune from the drag queen perversion. “It’s a sick and twisted perversion. You can quote me on that,” Calgary stated. An adult man dressed as a woman and feeling the need to do it in front of children is a pervert.
Pawlowski stated that Reimer felt God calling him to confront the growing number of drag events that involve children in Calgary. Pawlowski noted that Reimer had communicated from prison with him and that he was calling for Christians to speak out against what he called perversion.
Pawlowski stated, noting that the way Canadian authorities enforced COVID-19 protocols was being used to enforce ideologies.
“If you tolerate corruption, corruption will rule you, and if you are willing to tolerate perversion, perversion will eventually rule you,” he said.
