🧵 I’ve received some reportbacks & photos of protestors at the all ages drag brunch in #yyc on Sunday
Folks who’ve followed me for awhile won’t be at all surprised
But first a message with thanks to the protectors from the venues #lovewins
🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈 1/
2/ The protectors outnumbered the protestors by about 60-12. All performers & patrons were kept safe although I really hate that the young performers had to leave out the back door for their own safety.
Let’s take a look at the protestors
3/ If you spotted the Canadian Crusaders patch, you’re seeing CanCru’s Kyle B Silzer who’s been beating the drum of far right extremist groups (4 so far) for a few years.
Not sure why he’s trying to resurrect cancru but he’s never been that bright.
4/ For more on Kyle Silzer, see this thread for example.
9/ Angelica Toy/Vinokurova was there, reporting from her new assignment with Rebel News. A university student, organizer with Walk for Freedom, budding christofascist queerphobe+TERF, I expect to be reporting on her more in future
10a/ Perennial gadfly Chris Harrod was there of course. As a Yellow Vester & organizer with Unify the People, sovcit Chris & his temper tantrums continue to leave an unfavorable impression with everyone he tries to be around.
10b/ Video clip of Chris Harrod being unwelcomed, because of course he’s not welcome, courtesy @Tommy_Slick
12/ Of course wherever Chris
Harrod is, Nick Smart will be there to add to the smarm factor. You can spot Yellow Vester Nick at most of the street protests in Inglewood, Kensington and Mission. He'll be the guy on the bullhorn with the British accent.
13/ Many will remember Nick as one of the louder disrupters at Pat
King's protest of the antiracism gathering in Red Deer in 2020.
He's just an angry little man despite the fake smile, especially when his actions have consequences
14/ "Dr" Joanny Liu was there with her fake live-laugh-love platitudes.
Joanny enjoys positioning herself as the expert of all things, often accusing her fellow conspiracists of bringing evil to themselves by not thinking positively. Aww poor ripped sign
15/ Some Calgarians will remember
Joanny from her protests at #TestTracelsolate rallies during
Summer 2021 when she was arrested.
More here:
16/ Former Misty Wind bff Jordan
Fritz was there. He moved to BC awhile ago for work. I'm unsure if he's moved back here or is just creating havoc while visiting during the festive season
17/ Also I'd forgotten about this but the memory made me smile 😊
18/ Street preacher Derek Reimer was there. There's never an opportunity for homophobia that he'll miss after all. He does “outreach" on Stephen Ave as penance for his prison time for double aggravated assault, drug dealing, DV assault & assault on a dog.
19/ Derek failed to get 5% of the vote in his run for Ward 9 councillor, thank-you jeebuz. He's facing a 10k fine for continuing to violate city bylaws. His biggest issue imo is his hubris, refusing to learn from his poor choices.
20/ Current organizer for ongoing
"freedom" protests Anna-Josephine Madelaine Picken was there. Never one to miss a rally as she's unemployed (unemployable?)
I found this interview so cringe as to be somewhat entertaining.
Teens s/b having tea parties y'all
21/ And just because she's so easy to drag, here's Anna trying to school @genesimmons as he launched a new product at @MinhasMicrobrew earlier this month. Anna thought Gene was being "human-trafficked" 😂
21b/ Oh Anna that was so not a thing to brag about 🤦🏻♀️
22/ Last and arguably least, 2 online "freedom" podcasters turned up--Cody Kuntz & Benita Pedersen. Always cringe, always clout-chasing, that's all I'll say about them. They came down for Pawlowski & L2T2's church thing.
23/ Wrapping up:
The pattern is clear. It was never about mandates, freedom or community. It's always been about division, hate, othering. Not about love or compassion but pushing a (christo) fascist agenda on a freezing cold day
24/ Thanks again to everyone who came out to stand against fascism & haters who'd shove us back into closets if they could
We aren't going anywhere. Antifascism is strong in #yyc and Angelica is pointing her finger in wrong direction🖕😇🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈
25/ One last look at the fabulous work of community defenders ❤️
They occupied the space in front of the venue solidly, made lots of noise to drown out & frustrate the protestors, never giving an inch. Safety 1st!
Notice the “peaceful protestor"
elbowing 🌈☂️ man in the back🤨
Addendum: I missed this screengrab of the church thing Pawlowski organized. His “church” is looking more and political campaign office. Imagine that
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
🧵 Here's @MourraMahmoud saying with his whole chest that he'd rather be a "Zionist than a hypocrite." He's choosing to prioritize his rabid hatred of🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈community over standing in solidarity with #FreePalestine
This man is a danger to his community 1/8
2/ Mahmoud Mourra's thirst for political power blinds him to the reality that the Conservative Party doesn't give a fuck about Palestine
In a recent poll commissioned by @nccm Conservatives had the least support for Palestine of all political parties by ~30%
3/ I did a quick search on Facebook and Twitter of Danielle Smith's accounts and couldn't find a single instance of her ever mentioning the word Palestine.
Rather her support for Zionists is implicit in these posts.
Calgary antifascism/antiracism activists have a long history of standing with & for our Muslim siblings. We stood arm in arm to defeat white supremacists battling M103 in 2017. Islamophobia is hate. Hate is not welcome here.
Many of us have forged beautiful & lasting relationships that crisscross queer & Muslim identities as a result.
We stand by & for each other. Our bonds of mutual respect are strong.
When we learned of the protest at city hall, organized by a fringe Muslim group headed by a well known shit disturber, alarm bells went off across our communities.
We have established solidarity. We've had many conversations about our shared concerns.
Let me correct a rumour going around that one of the local "freedom" groups is organizing an anti-2SLGBTQ+ rally at Calgary City Hall tomorrow.
The protest is being organized by a charge of conservative Muslims under the banner of their fb group YYC Muslims
This fb group is not widely supported by the larger Muslim community. It's led by a man w/a concerning reputation for misogyny, homo- & transphobia. He is extreme in his conservative ideology, planting seeds of discontent leading up to the #AbElection2023
While much has been happening behind the scenes today, with suggestions of a "counter-protest", we are waiting to hear back from Muslim community leaders whether or not this protest, which is being promoted by christofascist & WS groups, will go ahead.