BREAKING: Calgary pastor arrested after protesting all-ages drag show at public library

Derek Reimer, pastor for Calgary's Mission 7 Ministries, which works mainly with homeless and vulnerable people in the city's downtown core, was informed Wednesday morning that he faced charges of mischief and causing a disturbance related to a protest at Seton Library on Saturday.

Video of an altercation at the Seton Library protest shows Reimer being forcibly removed by proponents of a Drag Queen Story Hour event, physically removing Reimer from the venue and shoving him to the ground.

A single Calgary Police Service member attended Reimer's home early Wednesday morning to inform him he was facing two separate charges. However, despite previous reports indicating an arrest occurred, Reimer was not arrested then.

Mayor of Calgary, Jyoti Gondek, has promised to weaponize Calgary's anti-street harassment bylaws to prevent anti-drag show protests.

Threats to abuse the controversial bylaw have not quelled the growing protests, prompting Gondek to promise to pass new by-laws to deal with what she calls "vile lies" and "hatred" directed at drag performers who want to read books to small children in cross-sex burlesque costumes.

Reimer was the second client of the registered Canadian charity, The Democracy Fund's (TDF) Fight The Fines program, after receiving Covid tickets for feeding the homeless, an act the City of Calgary called "illegal gatherings."

Reimer remains a client of TDF, helped through the Fight Censorship Fines initiative, which offers free legal help to those targeted with $400 fines under the anti-harassment by-law.

Donations to TDF qualify for a charitable tax receipt.

Sheila Gunn Reid

Chief Reporter

Sheila Gunn Reid is the Alberta Bureau Chief for Rebel News and host of the weekly The Gunn Show with Sheila Gunn Reid. She's a mother of three, conservative activist, and the author of best-selling books including Stop Notley.

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