More than 100 people showed up to protest against a controversial blogger was supposed to give a talk in Montreal Saturday.
Daryush Valizadeh, better known by his pseudonym Roosh V, is known for giving lectures on how to pick up women. He has written several books on the topic and actively writes and gives lectures that are described as offensive and degrading towards women.
In February, an article on his website written by a user named “Roosh” posited that to stop rape, it should be made legal if committed on private property.
Three women started a petition to keep him out of Canada but were unsuccessful.
A post on his website encouraged his fans to infiltrate the protest by pretending to agree with the demonstrators while "casually filming the proceedings with [their phones]," a piece of advice that made those in the crowd reluctant to speak with the media.
"There has been a lot of backlash, we've been harassed. individuals have been targeted, harassed, trolled," said one protester.
Valizadeh's fans defend his views vehemently, and launch aggressive online counterattacks against anyone who criticizes what he says. Aurelie Nix, one of the three women who started the petition to keep Valizadeh out of the country, said she and others she knows have received death threats online.
Mayor Denis Coderre offered his opinion on Valizadeh in a series of tweets, saying freedom of expression only goes so far and that the blogger isn't welcome in Montreal.
Il existe des critères qui encadrent la liberté d'expression. Les propos qui prône l'atteinte à l'intégrité physique en est un #RooshvOUT
— DenisCoderre (@DenisCoderre) August 8, 2015
The hotel that was initially supposed to host his event cancelled it. It was slated to be held at a different venue. A page on one of his websites asks for his fans to spread false information about where the event will be held in order to confuse those who may want to crash it. His world tour is billed as a four-hour event, with a 40-minute lecture, a question and answer period then a meet and greet.
It was unclear whether the show took place Saturday, but in an email to CTV Sunday morning, Valizadeh said the show "was successful." He has another show planned Toronto next week.
