🧵 The rise of hatred & violence against 2SLGBTQ+ communities across the country, particularly directed at the drag community, should deeply unsettle you It should enrage you This thread addresses a recent potential hate-motivated crime in Calgary #yyc 1/

2/ On Saturday 28Jan2023 an all-ages drag brunch was protested by a bunch of bigots, queerphobes and christofascists. LiveWireCalgary reported on the event and this photo caught my attention. Photo courtesy Aryn Toombs

3/ I've since received video and photos from several sources regarding what took place in front of the venue, and in front of the drag defenders who stood in solidarity with queer community. Here's what happened TW: queerphobia, christofascism

4/ What you just saw was a man desecrating a Pride flag, welcoming a woman to do the same, while a Western Standard reporter @JBradleyWS looked on with interest. Here's a partial transcript of street preacher & organizer Derek Reimer's hateful bullhorn rant:

5/ The man also ripped and spit on the Pride flag while his fellow drag protestors looked on but chose to do nothing. In other footage it appeared that some cheered.

6/ These are the two people who actively participated in the possible hate-motivated crime. I've identified one of them and ask for your assistance in identifying the other.

7/ Meet Matthew Tucker. Matthew, according to his public profiles, is a married father of 3, and appears to be living in Blackie AB about an hour's drive from Calgary

8/ Matt likes evangelizing on TikTok when he's not involved in other hate-motivated crimes. He especially likes saying "this is a call for arms...this is a plea for war," all in the name of his God of course.

9/ It appears that Matt has a business with his wife doing "lifestyle renovations," bookkeeping, selling "alternative health support services," as well as real estate.

10/ But Matt especially enjoys being a street preacher. He runs a couple "street ministries" fb pages where he posts poverty porn, collaborative events with Derek Reimer's Mission 7 bunch, & proselytizing around The DI shelter & in Forest Lawn

11/ Matt also appears to be very confused & perhaps easily influenced. He recently spoke at a church, mentioning various religions he'd been involved in before settling on street preaching with a focus on "deliverance" ie "casting out demons." Ok Matt.

12/ With very vocal hate-filled organizers like Derek Reimer & Anna Picken (& the reporter running his own agenda), together with white nationalists from Wild Rose Active Club/WLM like Jason Harley & company, our streets & 2SLGBTQ+ community are unsafe

13/ At a recent #yyccc council meeting, Mayor Jyoti Gondek raised the question: "My question is: Do we have the ability, when a protest is rooted in hatred, to ticket people and shut this down? How does it work?" livewirecalgary.com/2023/01/20/leg…

14/ Furthermore Jyoti Gondek stated: “It’s considered hate speech to speak out against LGBTQ2S+ people as well as speaking out against anyone who’s queer and indicating that they are somehow flawed members of society." livewirecalgary.com/2023/01/20/leg…

15/ I said a couple days ago that I wasn't going to share a hate-filled video that Wild Rose Active Club shared across telegram channels after the most recent drag protest.

16/ I've changed my mind. I'd like all of city council & especially Jyoti Gondek to listen to what was said to & about the 2SLGBTQ+ community last Saturday by hate preacher Derek Reimer. TW: queerphobia, christofascism

17/ I've heard from participants of the drag defense that Jason Harley & Derek Reimer took turns on the bullhorn screeching hatred on Stephen Ave on Sat. Giving this a pass means that more hateful incidents will happen at their next protests at Olympic Plaza

18/ More from Mayor Jyoti Gondek “If that’s hate speech, which I think it is, why are you allowed to have a protest rooted in hate speech?” We're asking the same questions 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

19/ “...when the line is crossed between freedom of speech and expressing an opinion on something, and actually name-calling people based on hate, that’s a line that shouldn’t be crossed.” - Jyoti Gondek The evidence in this thread shows a line was crossed.

20/ I'm grateful to all the ppl who've sent me tips. DMs are open for any further tips relating to the identification of the woman involved I'm also grateful to journos like Darren Krause & Aryn Toombs who've been providing excellent coverage of these events