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The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Canadian cities keep revoking MAGA singer's performance permits
Cities across Canada have canceled tour performances from Sean Feucht, a right-wing Christian musician with ties to the Trump administration and the Republican Party. The cancellations include Quebec City, where the city said it pulled a contract for Feucht's planned free Friday show at the ExpoCité venue due to 'new elements.' "The presence of a controversial artist was not mentioned in the contract between ExpoCité and the promoter of the concert scheduled to take place on its site this Friday," the city said in a statement. Performances have also been canceled in Halifax, Charlottetown, and Moncton. All told, six performances have been canceled, according to the National Post, as Feucht has faced criticism from local groups and certain elected leaders. "The city should not make its spaces available to propaganda groups that insult our communities and seek to divide us on the basis of our identities," municipal official Jackie Smith from the Transition Quebec party said in a statement to the CBC. "We don't want this hatred in our neighbourhoods." Other localities, as well as Parks Canada, which canceled a planned show at the York Redoubt historic site, cited safety concerns about Feucht. On social media, Feucht said he was being persecuted for his religious and political views. 'Here's the hard truth: If I had shown up with purple hair and a dress, claiming to be a woman, the government wouldn't have said a word,' he wrote on X. 'But to publicly profess deeply held Christian beliefs is to be labeled an extremist—and to have a free worship event classified as a public safety risk.' Over the years, Feucht has flouted Covid guidelines, appeared at the Trump White House, referred to abortion as the 'devil's sacrifice,' and compared discussion of sexual identity in schools to sexual indoctrination and grooming. The musician and religious leader, who has restaged planned concerts in fields and alternative venues amid the cancellations, also said he was getting death threats against his family and said the opposition to his tour was part of the ' devil's same playbook' that saw worship services limited during the Covid pandemic. Feucht gained national notoriety in 2020 by leading combination worship service-protest concerts around the country at a time when large gatherings, including religious ones, were prohibited under many local public health regimes. Since then, the musician has become well-acquainted with prominent figures on the right, appearing this year to perform at the White House, as well as hobnobbing with the likes of Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Last month, Feucht, who has said he wants 'God in control of government,' was accused by former associates of financial mismanagement and exploiting staff across his variety of nonprofits and ministries, while he and his organizations snapped up millions of dollars in property. Feucht called the allegations ' a complete sham ' and said they came from 'embittered former volunteers who have been attacking the ministry for over a decade.'
Montreal Gazette
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Montreal Gazette
Quebec City latest to deny venue to MAGA-aligned singer Sean Feucht
Quebec City is the latest Canadian municipality to pull the plug on a concert by Sean Feucht, an American Christian singer known for his opposition to abortion rights, support for Trump and anti-2SLGBTQ+ statements. Closely associated with the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, Feucht was scheduled to hold his 'Revive in 25 — Quebec City' concert on Friday at the city-owned and managed ExpoCité grounds. But a Quebec City spokesperson says the venue contract — signed on July 4 — was cancelled on Wednesday. 'The presence of a controversial artist was not mentioned when the contract was signed between ExpoCité and the promoter of the concert planned for the site this Friday,' said François Moisan, Quebec City's director of public relations. 'With the new elements that have been brought to its attention, ExpoCité has decided to cancel the contract and thus the holding of the event on its site.' Quebec City's move follows a similar decision in Halifax by Parks Canada. The federal agency revoked the permit for Feucht's concert, which had been scheduled for Wednesday at York Redoubt, a national historic site managed by Parks Canada just south of the city. In a statement issued Tuesday evening, Parks Canada said the concert permit had been reassessed and 'after careful review, and due to heightened public safety concerns, Parks Canada has notified the organizer that the permit has been revoked.' The City of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island has also revoked the permit for a Feucht concert planned at a city-owned venue for Thursday. At first the city announced it would let the event go ahead, but issued a statement stressing the concert is 'not a city-sponsored event' and expressing support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Later Wednesday, the city announced that 'after consultation with Charlottetown Police Services, the City of Charlottetown has notified the organizer ... that their permit has been revoked due to evolving public safety and security concerns.' According to his social media feeds, Feucht has more concert dates planned across Canada in July and August, including: Ottawa (Saturday), Toronto (Sunday), Winnipeg (Aug. 20), Saskatoon (Aug. 21), Edmonton (Aug. 22), Kelowna, B.C. (Aug. 23) and Abbotsford, B.C. (Aug. 24). A former worship leader at Bethel Church — a non-denominational, neo-charismatic megachurch in Redding, Calif. — Feucht began hosting large outdoor gatherings in 2020 to protest stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic under the banner 'Let Us Worship'. He is also the founder of Burn 24-7, a prayer and worship movement, and Hold the Line, a movement intended to get young people to oppose what he described as the 'progressive agenda being forced on America.' He ran unsuccessfully as a Republican in California's third congressional district in 2020, with a campaign that was critical of abortion rights and high taxes. He also supports greater parental rights to oppose mandatory vaccination and sex education. Media sources have quoted Feucht describing drag queens as 'demonic, sick, twisted' and accusing them of 'perverting the minds of children.' He has made multiple social media posts advocating an end to abortion rights. In a 2022 article, Rolling Stone magazine described Feucht as a 'MAGA preacher' and a 'far-right Jesus rocker who made a name for himself protesting COVID, praising Trump, and sticking it to the libs.' Feucht's agency did not immediately respond to The Gazette's emailed request for comment. On Facebook, Feucht posted a video in which he acknowledged the cancelling of some of his Canadian concerts, and announced he would be holding his Halifax concert in a farmer's field. 'I have never felt this level of resistance in a while, since 2020,' he said. 'But you know what? It's the Devil's same playbook. He wants the people of God to shut up, to go inside, to put their masks on, to be quiet. And we are not going to do that. Moses didn't do it. Daniel didn't do it. We didn't do it in 2020. And Canada's not going to do it.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Quebec City cancels concert of MAGA musician, following lead of other Canadian cities
Quebec City is the latest Canadian city to cancel a scheduled appearance by a controversial Christian rock musician and rising star in the MAGA movement. Sean Feucht was scheduled to play a free concert on Friday at ExpoCité, a site owned and managed by Quebec City. It was part of a series of events scheduled across North America for his "Revive in 25" tour. But the singer has been facing backlash in several cities. Feucht, who unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Congress as a Republican in 2020, is also a missionary and an author who has spoken out against the 2SLGBTQ+ community, abortion rights and critical race theory on his website. His set performance on Wednesday in Halifax changed locations on Tuesday after Parks Canada revoked the organizer's permit to play at the York Redoubt National Historic Site. In a news release, Parks Canada stressed that the event was not being put on by the agency, but rather was being hosted by a permit holder. 'New elements' prompt Quebec City to terminate contract On Wednesday, Quebec City confirmed in a statement that ExpoCité has decided to terminate the contract and therefore cancel the event on its site, following "new elements" that has been brought to its attention. "The presence of a controversial artist was not mentioned in the contract between ExpoCité and the promoter of the concert scheduled to take place on its site this Friday," read the city's statement. The city said the reservation for the artist was made by promoter BURN Canada, a worship ministry. Hours before the city's decision to terminate the contract, news of the Quebec City concert was met with apprehension by some groups and opposition councillors at city hall. Transition Québec's party leader Jackie Smith said she was disappointed that the city was allowing this type of event to take place. "The city should not make its spaces available to propaganda groups that insult our communities and seek to divide us on the basis of our identities," read her statement. "We don't want this hatred in our neighbourhoods." Feucht was scheduled to play in Charlottetown on Thursday, but the city said Wednesday it had revoked his permit. Another concert planned for Moncton, N.B., on Thursday was also scrapped when that city revoked the booking. He is scheduled to play in the Ottawa and Toronto areas over the weekend and will take his tour to Western Canada in late August.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Quebec City cancels show by U.S. ‘MAGA superstar' musician
Christian musician Sean Feucht of California sings to the crowd during a rally at the National Mall in Washington, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. (Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo) Quebec City officials have cancelled a performance by a U.S.-based Christian musician who has been described as a 'MAGA superstar.' Singer Sean Feucht was scheduled to perform at the ExpoCité venue on Friday as part of the Canadian leg of his 'Revive in 25' tour. His religious and political views have grabbed the attention of the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration after having spoken out against 'gender ideology,' abortion and the LGBTQ+ community. A performance slated for Halifax Wednesday night was cancelled after officials cited complaints from residents and planned protests that raised security concerns. Parks Canada revoked his permit after receiving advice from police. He was also set to perform a show in Charlottetown, P.E.I. on Thursday evening, but the city said it consulted with police before telling Feucht that his show was cancelled due to 'evolving public safety and security concerns.' In an email on Wednesday, a Quebec City spokesperson said the presence of a 'controversial artist' was not mentioned in the contract signed between ExpoCité and the promoter of the concert. 'With the new information that has been brought to its attention, ExpoCité has decided to terminate the contract and therefore cancel the event on its site,' the spokesperson said. Feucht's website lists two more Canadian stops this weekend in Gatineau, Que. and Vaughan, Ont. In a post on X Wednesday morning, he denounced the cancellation of his Halifax show. 'This is the classic playbook of the media, of the anti-Christian bigots out there that hate Christians,' he said. 'This is the same, exact place where people gathered for a Pride event last week. But now they're not so tolerant when peaceful Christians come together.' His post said his Halifax show would go on at a different venue. The Atlantic magazine in the U.S. has described him as a Christian nationalist who has praised President Trump as God's chosen one and suggested that abortion supporters are 'demons.' With files from The Canadian Press
CBC
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Quebec City cancels concert of MAGA musician facing backlash in several cities
Social Sharing Quebec City is the latest Canadian city to cancel a scheduled appearance by a controversial Christian rock musician and rising star in the MAGA movement. Sean Feucht was scheduled to play a free concert on Friday at ExpoCité, a site owned and managed by Quebec City. It was part of a series of events scheduled across North America for his "Revive in 25" tour. But the singer has been facing backlash in several cities. Feucht, who unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Congress as a Republican in 2020, is also a missionary and an author who has spoken out against the 2SLGBTQ+ community, abortion rights and critical race theory on his website. His set performance on Wednesday in Halifax changed locations on Tuesday after Parks Canada revoked the organizer's permit to play at the York Redoubt National Historic Site. In a news release, Parks Canada stressed that the event was not being put on by the agency, but rather was being hosted by a permit holder. 'New elements' prompt Quebec City to terminate contract On Wednesday, Quebec City confirmed in a statement that ExpoCité has decided to terminate the contract and therefore cancel the event on its site, following "new elements" that has been brought to its attention. "The presence of a controversial artist was not mentioned in the contract between ExpoCité and the promoter of the concert scheduled to take place on its site this Friday," read the city's statement. The city said the reservation for the artist was made by promoter BURN Canada, a worship ministry. Hours before the city's decision to terminate the contract, news of the Quebec City concert was met with apprehension by some groups and opposition councillors at city hall. Transition Québec's party leader Jackie Smith said she was disappointed that the city was allowing this type of event to take place. "The city should not make its spaces available to propaganda groups that insult our communities and seek to divide us on the basis of our identities," read her statement. "We don't want this hatred in our neighbourhoods." Feucht was scheduled to play in Charlottetown on Thursday, but the city said Wednesday it had revoked his permit. Another concert planned for Moncton, N.B., on Thursday was also scrapped when that city revoked the booking.
