Concerns in Central Park as U.S. Christian Musician Plans Concert

Community members are concerned a Central Park concert planned by a U.S. Christian musician might spur discriminatory rhetoric in a diverse, welcoming neighbourhood, while the City of Winnipeg is still deciding whether it will grant a permit for the public park.

Sean Feucht has advertised a concert in Winnipeg's Central Park on Aug. 20. The event is part of a Canada-U.S. tour he has described as the country's 'hour of awakening' and an opportunity to worship Jesus.

Crown agencies and cities overseeing six public venues in Canada's East Coast, Quebec and Ontario denied or revoked permits granted to Feucht to host events that were part of his tour this week — all citing public safety concerns among their reasoning.

Feucht has been affiliated with the MAGA movement and spoken publicly on his platforms against the 2SLGBTQ+ community as well as against abortion rights. He was also a strong advocate against the closure of places of worship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A spokesperson from the City of Winnipeg told CBC it received a request from Burn 24-7, a worship group founded by Feucht, to host an event at the Ellice Avenue park, but no permit has been issued yet.

'We continue to review the organization's application, which at this point remains incomplete,' a statement from the city said.

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said Monday city staff will be 'looking at all angles' before making a decision.

'My understanding from some of what I've seen … or heard had been said in the past, in the States side, is not some of the things that, you know, we would value,' he said.

'On the other hand, we do have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms that does permit people to have their opinion, express their opinion.'

CBC News reached out to the Canadian division of Burn 24-7, but it hasn't heard back.

Lesley Harrison is minister at Knox United Church next to Central Park, and says she's been working with others on a vision for the area to be a safe, accommodating space for people of all ages and faiths.

Some in Winnipeg are worried about Feucht holding his event at Central Park, a publicly accessible city-owned venue they say has been built into a hub of acceptance.

The park is at the heart of a diverse community, frequented by people from different faiths, ethnic backgrounds and gender expressions, said Lesley Harrison.

Harrison is minister of the Knox United Church in Central Park, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Canada by postal code demographics.

'We have enough issues that we're dealing with and have worked very hard to build a place that can be accommodating for all.' - Lesley Harrison

The minister is worried that the ultra right-wing and anti-2SLGBTQ+ stance Feucht has taken in the past could be replicated at his event in Central Park, which could spur division and 'at the extreme, potentially incite further violence of people against people.'

'We have enough issues that we're dealing with and have worked very hard to build a place that can be accommodating for all,' Harrison said.

'This is not the vision that we have been working very hard on over the past years,' she said of the potential concert.

'But to bring a place where people, let me emphasize this, of all ages are able to feel safe ... and to have events that encourage them to think and to ask questions and to consider what it means to be a good neighbour.'

Charlie Eau, the executive director of Trans Manitoba, is also concerned about the kind of message Feucht could share at Central Park as he has been vocally opposed to the 2SLGBTQ+ community, gender expression and immigration before.

'This person's views are directly harmful to and make vulnerable the very people that live in the Central Park neighbourhood,' they said.

'It needs to be stopped.'

Feucht declined an interview with CBC Manitoba. But in a statement issued last week after venues pulled permits for his other events, the musician said his group 'will not cower in the face of religious persecution.'

Private venues have since opened their doors for Feucht to host his events, including a church in Montreal where he took the stage on Friday and began singing while protesters gathered outside. Police confirmed a smoke bomb was thrown inside the venue, but no charges have been laid.

Richard Moon, a professor at the University of Windsor whose research focuses on freedom of expression, conscience and religion, said a city could have enough grounds to not issue a permit to someone for an event at a public space if they have previously engaged in hate speech and there's legitimate belief it might happen again — but there's a bar to meet.

Canadian courts have narrowly defined hate speech as speech that's sufficiently extreme to vilify members of a particular group including calling for their death, describing them as inherently violent or subhuman, Moon said.

'People will say things that we think are offensive, odious, hurtful, but they may not reach a level of what we consider and what the law considers to be unlawful,' Moon said.

'Generally speaking, we're talking about a public space of some kind, and if an individual wants to engage in speech that is not otherwise unlawful, then they have a right to engage in that speech,' he said.

According to the source: CBC.