A U.S. blogger who once promoted the legalization of rape on private property has cancelled a series of planned gatherings in cities including Victoria over what he calls safety and privacy concerns.
Daryush Valizadeh, also known as Roosh V, is a controversial U.S. blogger who shares anti-feminist views on his website Return of Kings.
He recently posted locations across the world that would host meetups for like-minded heterosexual men on Feb. 6, including Victoria and Vancouver.
But in a follow-up post on Thursday, Valizadeh said all of the events were effectively cancelled.
"I can no longer guarantee the safety or privacy of the men who want to attend on February 6, especially since most of the meetups can not be made private in time," he wrote. "While I can't stop men who want to continue meeting in private groups, there will be no official Return of Kings meetups...I apologize to all the supporters who are let down by my decision."
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps and councillors, like other municipal politicians across canada, had previously condemned the meet-up, saying the city won't tolerate events promoting "hate or discrimination."
The meeting point for the Victoria gathering was listed as the cenotaph at the B.C. Legislature at 8 p.m.
There have been petitions and protests in the past aimed at keeping Roosh V out of Canada.
A post from the controversial blogger last year suggested legalizing rape on private property would discourage women from entering a private dwelling with a “man she doesn’t know or trust.”
