Canadian pastor convicted of ‘criminal harassment’ after opposing drag queen story hours

Calgary judge Karen Molle has proclaimed a Canadian pastor guilty of “criminal harassment” for protesting a “drag queen story time” for children that a city library was hosting early this year.

Pastor Derek Reimer, was also found guilty of breaching his bail conditions, which bar him from protesting any LGBTQ event. Supporters of one drag queen story hour actually threw Reimer to the ground when he opposed an event. A video of the apparent assault gained global attention.

“A judge found me guilty today of criminal harassment for expressing my opposition towards drag queen story hour to a library manager set on hosting the event. For posting the video of our interaction on Facebook, and saying we’ll be back (to protest) if the event continues,” Reimer told LifeSiteNews.

When not demonstrating at drag queen shows for kids, Reimer is the head of MISSION7, an evangelical ministry to the homeless. The charges relate to incidents that occurred in Calgary from March 25 to Apr. 2, 2024. Reimer could receive up to two years in jail at his sentencing hearing and he told LifeSite that he will “be posting the sentencing date soon.”

The news could have been even worse for Reimer. Judge Molle did not find him guilty on charges of causing a disturbance and she dismissed two charges alleging that he caused a public disturbance with a loudspeaker outside of the drag queen story hours. Molle said these actions were not criminal.

Andrew MacKenzie, the lawyer who is representing Reimer said an appeal of the conviction is possible. Reimer was released on bail.

Reimer was also charged over the drag queen show where he was thrown to the ground. The pastor, not the people pushing him onto the floor, was charged with causing a disturbance and mischief in that altercation. It was this episode that got Reimer banished from entering any LGBTQ event. For this charge, he was also banned from being within 300 meters of any LGBT event.

The pastor has been arrested numerous times for fighting the LGBTQ agenda and once, his van was desecrated with anti-Christian messages and Satanic symbols while he was imprisoned. Last year, Calgary passed a new “Safe and Inclusive Access Bylaw” that bans “specified protests” inside and outside any buildings owned or leased by the city.

Drag queen story hours continue to offend people of many faiths in Canada, even though a Unitarian Church in Calgary decided to sponsor a drag queen show for its 2024 Easter Sunday service. A drag queen that President Joe Biden invited to the White House to perform had also been accused of sexual assault.