A planned free outdoor worship concert by US Christian musician Sean Feucht will not go ahead in West Kelowna this weekend, with the city citing “safety concerns.”
In a statement, the City of West Kelowna said it would not issue a permit for the event scheduled at Memorial Park Amphitheatre on Saturday, August 23.
Officials said that, with input from the RCMP and West Kelowna Fire Rescue, they reassessed the organizer’s security plans and found risks “not appropriately mitigated.”
Feucht has faced pushback across Canada.
Several stops on his tour have been cancelled amid calls from local left-wing activist groups.
Last month, West Kelowna warned it had “increased concerns” about safety around the concert.
Feucht had not addressed West Kelowna’s decision directly, but wrote on social media that “It’s wild watching ‘Christian’ mayors across Canada cancel outdoor worship services ‘for safety reasons’ while allowing mass protests and pride events in their cities.”
Feucht had previously argued such cancellations will “backfire” as his concerts find other last minute venues.
Premier David Eby is among those who have criticized Feucht, saying he does not “agree with the message that he’s promoting.”
Local leftist groups, including the Kelowna Pride Society and Advocacy Canada, have urged municipalities to stop the shows, calling Feucht a “far-right” figure whose activism is harmful to the “2SLGBTQIA+” community.
Feucht also has supporters.
John Carpay of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms said earlier this month that governments cannot “pick and choose” who sings in public spaces based on viewpoint, and the Canadian Constitution Foundation has warned that cancelling the events could breach Charter rights.
The city did not say whether an alternative date or venue would be considered.
For now, the West Kelowna stop joins a growing list of Feucht concerts in Canada called off over “safety concerns” as debate over his message and the limits of free expression continues.
