The City of Moncton has revoked the permit for a scheduled performance in Riverfront Park by American musician and far-right political agitator Sean Feucht. The cancellation follows a wave of public criticism and similar decisions in Charlottetown and Halifax.

Feucht, known for spreading hateful rhetoric against the pro-choice movement and 2SLGBTQ+ community, was scheduled to perform on Thursday at 6 p.m. But on Wednesday, the city announced the “private event booking” had been cancelled. “Following a thorough review, the event was found to be non-compliant with the City’s Code of Conduct in City Facilities,” the city said in a public statement.

The statement also cited “evolving safety and security considerations,” including planned protests, and stated the event posed “potential risks to the safety and security of community members, event attendees, and organizers.” Organizers were informed of the decision. “The City of Moncton remains committed to creating a respectful, positive, and safe environment for users of municipal facilities,” it continued. “This decision reflects the City’s responsibility to ensure that its public spaces are used in a manner consistent with community standards.”

The decision followed an open letter issued Tuesday by the Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick, co-signed by several advocacy groups: River of Pride, Alter Acadie, GRIS-Acadie, QT Fatties in NB, and the Demand the Stars Collective, along with over 100 individuals. “Sean Feucht is a self-professed Christian Nationalist, and it’s appalling that his group made it through the City of Moncton’s events vetting process,” the letter read, addressing Moncton officials and federal and provincial representatives, including MP Ginette Petitpas-Taylor and the Minister responsible for Women’s Equality.

The letter expressed concern over rising hate against 2SLGBTQQIA+ people and attacks on reproductive rights in the U.S. and in Canada, while pointing to anti-trans content on Feucht’s social media.

Feucht’s representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In a YouTube video, he blamed the Halifax cancellation on the media and “anti-Christian bigots.” The City of Charlottetown also revoked a permit for his event on city property.

Kim Dubé, a criminology professor at l’Université de Moncton and member of Regroupement féministe du N.-B. and GRIS-Acadie, said the cancellation was the right call. “I was surprised that this event was going to happen in a public place, especially since this person perpetuates a lot of hatred,” said Dubé, who noted the rise in hate crimes over the past five years. She suggested Feucht may have attempted to bypass scrutiny by booking under a different name.

Dubé also addressed expected backlash about censorship, citing the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. “We have to, I think, specify that nobody is against religious freedom,” she said. “People are against hatred.”

Feucht, who has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, has gained notoriety for promoting the idea of a Christian theocracy. He has denied the accusation on his blog, but his public comments often contradict this. “We want God to be in control of everything,” he said in a video clip archived by Right Wing Watch. “We want believers to be the ones writing the laws—yes, guilty as charged!”

Feucht is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump and the MAGA movement, with Trump once sending a personal video greeting to Feucht and his supporters. He also made an unsuccessful run for U.S. Congress in 2020 and opposed public health measures during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this week, Parks Canada revoked a permit for a performance at a national historic site near Halifax, citing “heightened public safety concerns.” The event was reportedly relocated to a rural address associated with a religious group called Lighthouse Ministries.

David Gordon Koch is a journalist with the NB Media Co-op. This reporting has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada, administered by the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS).