Winnipeg’s mayor is denouncing the actions of an anti-feminist group that has previously argued rape should be legalized and plans on organizing gatherings across the world on Saturday, including here in Winnipeg.

The Return of Kings, an online community whose leader, Daryush Valizadeh, has repeatedly taken a victim-blaming stance on rape and sexual assault, is planning worldwide “meet-ups,” with Winnipeg among 10 Canadian cities where supporters will assemble.

Valizadeh has even gone so far as to suggest rape should be legal if done on private property.

On Tuesday, Bowman released a statement condemning Valizadeh’s beliefs.

“I have no interest in offering a platform for the types of violent and harmful views espoused by Mr. Valizadeh and his organization,” Bowman’s statement read. “I am deeply disturbed by many of his statements and I denounce them unequivocally.”

The Winnipeg Police Service released a statement saying it was “aware of this organization’s intended plans and will be monitoring its activity.”

St. Vital Centre has been designated as the location of the Winnipeg meet-up. The mall’s general manager said management and security are aware of the planned gathering.

“While it is planned outside of business hours, this proposed meet-up is on our property,” Cheryl Mazur said in an email. “As a business where the community gathers and where our tenants and staff have the right to feel safe, we feel we have a responsibility to prevent incidents from occurring on our property.”

Mazur said management co-ordinated with WPS to have officers on site “in the event that this alleged meet-up does materialize and they will work with our security personnel, who are trained in safe protest/picketing response.”

Marilou McPhedran, a University of Winnipeg professor and director of the Institute for International Women’s Rights, said there is a fine line on the group’s stance of freedom of speech.

“The biggest question for us as a society is if this is a group of people who are fuelled by hate, and whether they’re promoting hateful thought, but also hateful and destructive action,” she said.

“If this is a gathering that defines and promotes men’s rights that are about the exclusion of others and the denial of the rights of others, defining men’s rights in that way is something we should know about as a society.

“... Freedom of expression is a very important freedom and right to be respected and promoted, but not at the expense of one group being dominant over others.”

Mary Scott, an IIWR co-chair, said ROK’s offensive views on rape culture only further the fear in women who have been victims or have concern for their own safety.

“Sexual assault is a very serious crime and it’s particularly concerning too for young women and girls,” Scott said. “The high percentage of girls and young women who have dealt with sexual assault is really worrisome. The fear when they think these guys are out there, to live their life in this kind of fear is serious.”

KING PUTZ

Here's a sample of the bloggings of Return of Kings leader Daryush Valizadeh:

“If done in a dwelling or on private property, any and all rape that happens should be completely legal.”

“Society should rightfully accept that homosexual men are the bringers of death, a sort of grim reaper wrapped up in fuzzy progressive packaging.”

“Thanks to feminism, and the penis envy it installs in women, men no longer have spaces where females are not present. They have invaded education and workplaces at all levels.”

“Legalizing gay marriage is one phase of a degenerate march to persecute heterosexuals, both legally and socially, while acclimating young children to the homosexual lifestyle.”

“In spite of our best efforts to encourage women into science by giving them two legs up in the system, they still prefer easy majors that don’t involve any math, and even women who pursue medicine pick the easiest specialty like dermatology because she covets time off more than having to play real doctor by being on-call in the middle of the night when a patient has an emergency.”

david.larkins@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @LarkinsWSun