A Quebec religious group is accusing the City of Montreal of censorship for fining a local church after it hosted a concert over the weekend by a Christian singer.
Ministerios Restauración Church is facing a $2,500 fine for hosting singer Sean Feucht, a rising star in the MAGA political movement tied to U.S. President Donald Trump.
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The city says it warned the church it didn’t have a permit to host Feucht — who has spoken out against abortion and LGBTQ+ people — but says the show went ahead anyway.
The religious group — Réseau évangélique du Québec — represents roughly 500 evangelical Protestant churches in the province, and says the city tried to shut the show down because it didn’t like the singer’s religious views.
Spokesperson Jean-Christophe Jasmin says the event should not have required a permit because it was part of a routine religious gathering.
Complaints about Feucht have led officials to cancel his concerts scheduled in Eastern Canada — decisions that free speech advocates in the country say were violations of the Charter.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
