Anti-gay activist released from Canadian jail and back in United States

 Peter LaBarbera under arrest by Regina Police 

By Brody Levesque | NAPIER, Illinois -- Anti-gay activist Peter LaBarbera is back home in Illinois after spending 24 hours in custody for violation of Canadian law, after his arrest along with Saskatchewan anti-abortion/anti-gay  advocate Bill Whatcott. The pair were arrested and charged with criminal mischief on Monday after demonstrating against homosexuality and abortion at the University of Regina.

LaBarbera told LGBTQ Nation Tuesday evening that he is scheduled to appear in court on May 26 to answer the charges. He also said that he was detained overnight by the Regina Police and after a discussion with the Canadian Border Services Agency officers Tuesday, he agreed to voluntarily cut his visit to Saskatchewan short.  "I was scheduled to fly out Thursday anyway," LaBarbera said. The Regina Police Service held LaBarbera in custody overnight at CBSA’s request according to a police spokesperson.

LaBarbera had been initially denied entry to Canada on April 10 under its hate speech law but he appealed and was granted a stay under agreement he would leave the country by April 17 and that, "I would not violate Canadian law," he said.

He added that he didn't think his appearance along with Whatcott and his two supporters, who carried signs with images of aborted fetuses, distributing anti-gay literature outside the University's Riddell Centre would be a violation of his agreement with the Border Services Agency. LaBarbera noted that he and Whatcott had planned to hold a similar protest at the University of Saskatchewan on Wednesday.

LaBarbera also said that he wants to clear this up with the help of an attorney he's retained to hopefully prevent being barred from future entry into Canada.