A preacher known to spread homophobic rhetoric in Vancouver and Toronto is hosting a street speaking event this evening in Victoria, and residents of the city plan to retaliate with their own rally.
David Lynn and his group, ‘Christian Forgiveness Ministries’, are kicking off a ‘Cross Canada tour’ in Victoria this Saturday, August 29 at 6 p.m. at the intersection of Douglas and Yates Streets.
Lynn and members of his group have been known to use loudspeakers to preach to passersby and allegedly incite violence in Toronto’s Church Street neighbourhood.
Most recently, Daily Hive reported that two members of the religious demonstrations were arrested in Vancouver after assaulting a man who took the microphone of one of the preachers associated with the group.
Justin Morrissette, the man who was assaulted, says the demonstrators purposely broke his leg for intervening.
He identified one of the attackers who was arrested as Dorre Love, a man previously affiliated with David Lynn and ‘Christian Forgiveness Ministries’.
Lynn and his group now plan to speak on the street in Victoria this evening, before travelling to Vancouver, and several cities across Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Victoria responds
Word of Lynn’s arrival in Victoria had been circulating through the city’s queer activism channels earlier this week.
“I first heard the preacher was coming to Victoria on his tour on Thursday,” said Matthew Michael, a local resident, in an interview with Victoria Buzz.
“It makes me angry. Angry that an individual and his organization are allowed to spew hate under the cloak of ‘religion’. This isn’t what we’re about in Victoria.”
He says a group of people have begun mobilizing a counter-rally that is set to take place at the same time and place as Lynn’s speech.
The grassroots movement has been building through social media networks, which makes it difficult to gauge just how many people are expected to attend, but Michael says it could be anywhere between a few dozen and a few hundred.
“The intent is to drown out the hate with messages of love and music, as opposed to spewing hate back.”
Those who attend the rally are advised to wear masks and stay six feet apart due to COVID-19, according to a call to action message posted on Facebook Saturday afternoon.
“The street preacher’s location is liable to change as they respond to this counter-protest. Whether you meet at Government and Fisgard or Douglas and Yates, please try and remain in contact with your friends and allies. We’ll do our best to coordinate changes in the location,” reads the event description for the rally.
Attendants are also encouraged to bring signs, placards, and drums with them.
Victoria Police was made aware of the planned speech and rally as a result of Victoria Buzz’s article on the subject.
Spokesperson Bowen Osoko says officers will be monitoring to ensure public safety.
