MAGA singer: Religious group denounces Montreal for fining church after concert

Christian musician Sean Feucht of California preaches to the crowd during a rally at the National Mall in Washington, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

MONTREAL — 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.

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.