LGBTQ supporters hold protest outside Billy Graham mobile truck

CALGARY (660 NEWS) — Pride is underway in Calgary and LGBTQ advocates were less than pleased to find an evangelical organization with a history of invoking anti-LGBTQ rhetoric had parked a mobile crisis response vehicle steps away from where Pride celebrations are taking place.

On Thursday, several dozen LGBTQ supporters held a peaceful protest outside a Billy Graham Rapid Response vehicle stationed along Stephen Avenue.

“People know that despite the message of the organization [BGEAC] behind me, that Calgary is a welcoming place, Calgary is a safe place and everyone is equal in Calgary,” said Mike Morrison, an LGBTQ advocate and blogger who took part in the protest.

This week the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association of Canada is taking part in the Pentecostal World Conference at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre.

In a statement issued by BGEAC, they explain why they chose that location for their vehicle.

“Our trained chaplains and specially equipped Mobile Ministry Centre are positioned on Stephen Avenue, outside the convention centre, as a service to the 3,000 conference delegates from more than 70 countries, and to anyone else in downtown Calgary who comes seeking emotional and spiritual care.”

On their website, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association stated the Rapid Response team was created to share Christ in the middle of crisis and disasters. Franklin Graham, the son of evangelist Billy Graham, has expressed homophobic rhetoric on the BGEA website.

“This is definitely about free speech and human rights,” Morrison argued.

“I do think that everyone is welcome [at Pride] but, if this Billy Graham organization was saying what they say about gay people about another religion, another race, they absolutely would not be tolerated.

That to me is a symbol of how far LGBTQ equality needs to go.”

With files from Crystal Laderas.