Drag queen story time protest charges against Nathaniel Pawlowski dropped

Nathaniel Pawlowski, son Calgary Pastor Artur Pawlowski who incurred the government's wrath for refusing to shut down his church during COVID-19, is following in his father’s footsteps of resistance when it comes to resisting government overreach. In addition to his strong faith convictions and the work he has done speaking on his father’s behalf around the world, Nathaniel is perhaps best known as an ardent and uncompromising defender of free speech.

When Calgary’s radical progressive mayor, Jyoti Gondek, implemented a draconian and unconstitutional bylaw banning protests against drag queen story time events, Nathaniel was one of many who refused to comply with the censorious restrictions and so he headed out to protest an event on a public sidewalk adjacent to the library where the event was taking place. 

He was charged under the new bylaw, but after investing significantly in a defence strategy against the charges… the charges were dropped without explanation.

Troublingly, others who were in attendance, and who Nathaniel suggested were less engaged in the protest than he was, are still facing charges.

Additionally, LGBT counter-protesters who were also present within the no-protests ‘bubble zone’ were not charged or even pestered by authorities, suggesting, as many speculated, that the bylaws intention was to stifle critical perspectives — not to limit protests or preserve the peace.

Nathaniel also discussed the charges being faced by Pastor Derek Reimer in relation to his protests of drag story events, for which court proceedings are still underway, and the glaring double standards which have seen venues bullied into cancelling conservative events across Alberta, like the recent Dr. James Lindsay event, while drag shows for children get special bylaws and mass police enforcement.

Of all the charges volleyed at Pastor Artur Pawlowski, and there have been many, only one has stuck, and it likely shouldn’t have, which is why The Democracy Fund is crowdfunding a legal appeal of the decision, you can lean more and chip in at SaveArtur.com.