A Canadian pastor was arrested for the second time this month while protesting a drag queen event for children at a public library.
Derek Reimer, 36, of Alberta, was arrested on Wednesday for violating bail orders from his previous arrest that prohibited him from being within 200 yards of events involving the LGBTQ community, police said in Calgary.
Video of the arrest outside Calgary’s Signal Hill Library shows officers pulling Reimer, who refuses to walk, as the pastor’s supporters condemn them and demand his release.
The pastor remained silent throughout the arrest.
He was charged with one count of causing a disturbance and another count of mischief, but he also faces six other counts of harassment under city law.
Each charge carries a maximum penalty of $10,000, which could lead to up to six months in jail for each payment that cannot be made.
The incident came as protests erupted across the United States and around the world over drag queen story hours, during which performers read to children in public spaces.
Reimer had previously been arrested on March 2 for protesting at another drag queen event at the Seton Library on February 25. During that protest, he was allegedly thrown out of the building by three men, Fox News reported.
In response to growing protests against these events, Calgary City Council voted on Tuesday to revise its bylaws to curb such protests.
The city’s new Safe and Inclusive Access Bylaw now prohibits protests within 100 yards of recreation facilities or libraries to avoid “bullying.”
Reimer opposed the new bylaw with a silent prayer session at the municipal building and received a 30-day trespassing notice after being repeatedly warned he could not hold a religious event inside of the building.
Fellow Calgary pastor Artur Pawlowski, who himself has come under scrutiny for keeping his church open during COVID-19 closures, criticized his government for arresting Reimer and claimed the Canada had an “open hatred of Christianity”.
“Everyone in sight, everyone in Canada who boldly proclaims Christianity, has become an open target,” he told Fox News. “Calgary has been somewhat immune to the drag queen perversion – because that’s what it is: it’s a sick, twisted perversion, and you can quote me on that.”
Reimer remains in jail pending his court appearance on Friday. A representative for the pastor could not immediately be reached for comment.