CALGARY, Alberta (LifeSiteNews) – Christian pastor Artur Pawlowski blasted Alberta Premier Danielle Smith for what he said was her silence regarding the arrest and jailing of Christian pastor Derek Reimer, who is in prison for protesting at a children’s drag queen story time at a public library a week ago.
“Where is Premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith? Will she stand for rights or not? Will Danielle Smith condemn this arrest for not,” Pawlowski said last Friday while speaking in support of Reimer of Mission7 street ministry.
“Is the UCP (United Conservative Party) and NDP united in this attack against Christianity in our province? Is there any politician that will defend our Charter of Rights and Freedoms?”
Pawlowski, who like Reimer has been involved for years in street ministry feeding the homeless, asked if there were “two sets of laws” in Alberta, “one for the perverted, and another for the Christians.”
He also called out Calgary’s left-leaning Mayor Jyoti Gondek and asked if Smith would “condemn the actions of this little minion, the little tyrant Gondek, or not.”
“Is she for the rule of law, or tyranny suits her just fine?” Pawlowski said.
Reimer will remain in jail until at least March 14. He is facing a slew of charges, including multiple hate speech-specific bylaw fines.
He was arrested last Thursday afternoon by members of the Calgary Police Service (CPS) after being warned the previous day that there were two warrants out for him because he protested at a children’s drag queen story time at a public library on February 25.
In June 2022, the Calgary City Council, under Gondek, amended the city’s bylaws to “specifically prohibit insulting or demeaning behaviour, including unwanted sexual advances, or harassing anyone on the basis of age, race, sexual orientation, disability, gender, gender identity or gender expression, among others.”
Gondek had vowed to use the city’s street harassment bylaw to go after drag queen story time protesters about a month ago after some events were postponed due to protests.
She said anyone protesting at those events could face fine of $500 to combat “hate and fearmongering.”
As for Smith, since becoming Premier of Alberta last fall, she has seemed to be in favor of free speech. However, it remains unclear what the province could or would do in relation to Calgary’s new bylaw.
Smith did say she was looking into creating an amnesty program to those charged for breaking non-criminal code COVID-related rules under former Premier Jason Kenney’s government. However, she now appears to be softening to the idea, most likely due to an election in May.
Pawlowski has been arrested and jailed multiple times for protesting against COVID mandates.
He was arrested for the fifth time on February 8, 2022, by an undercover SWAT team just before he was slated to speak at a Freedom Convoy protest taking place in Coutts, Alberta, which borders the U.S. state of Montana.
He was subsequently jailed for nearly three months, which he has said was for speaking out against COVID mandates in his address to truckers blockading the highway in Coutts.
Pawlowski banned from City Hall for showing his support for Reimer
After Pawlowski blasted Smith on Friday, he tried to access City Hall but was prevented from doing so by members of the Calgary Police Service (CPS). He has been banned from the building for a year.
Video posted online on by investigative video journalist Sarah Victoria Ann Galas on Friday shows Pawlowski calling CPS members “Gestapo” after they tried to issue trespass notices against him.
“You are a Gestapo, sick, sick, sick, sick, sick, and Gestapo,” he said to the CPS officer.
The CPS officer told Pawlowski he was “trespassing now,” to which the pastor replied, “Why? This is public sidewalk.”
“One day, we will remember Gestapos like you,” Pawlowski said.
“We remember you, Nazi Gestapo … shame you, psychopathic devils.”
At this point in the video, a person off camera can be heard saying “shame on you … are supposed to be standing up for our country and the innocence of our children. What is wrong with your convictions? You need to check your heart.”
In December, COVID-related charges levied against Pawlowski in 2020 for feeding the homeless and attending a pro-freedom rally were stayed by Crown prosecutors.