Editor charged with hate crimes, labelled racist and sexist, releases new issue - Action News
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Toronto

Editor charged with hate crimes, labelled racist and sexist, releases new issue

The editor of a publication that has been labelled racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, and misogynist has released another print issue and says he won't stop publishing because he doesn't believe the paper has broken any laws, even though he has been charged with hate crimes.

Past issues of Your Ward News have portrayed Jews as dogs, glorified Hitler, used n-word

Residents who have received the paper in their mailbox have complained that it is racist and anti-Semitic, homophobic, sexist and offensive. (Spencer Gallichan-Lowe / CBC News)

The editor of a publication that has been labelled racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, and misogynisthas released another print issue and says he won't stop publishing because he doesn't believe the paper has broken any laws, even though he has been charged with hate crimes.

Copies of Your Ward Newshave been appearingin east-end Toronto mailboxes this month, much to the chagrin of residents.

Issues of the paperhave included images portraying Jews as dogs and glorifying Hitler, as well as liberal use of then-wordand other slurs.

Despite numerous complaints from residents who have received the paper that it is racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, sexist and offensive, editor James Sears, 56, says he won't stop publishing.

"Being criticized by mentally deranged Marxists has never caused us to consider shutting down our truth tract," he toldCBCToronto in an email.

James Sears, editor of Your Ward News, is accused of publishing hate propaganda. (Submitted)

Sears, and publisher Leroy St.Germaine, 76,were arrested and charged in November 2017 withthewilful promotion of hatred against women and Jews.

It was thefirst time in Ontario's historya charge waslaid alleging the wilful promotion of hatred against women, according to office of the attorney general.

The most recent issue of Your Ward News depicts a roundtable of people including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Kathleen Wynne with speech bubbles making homophobic and sexist remarks.

In hismost recent letterfrom the editor, Sears writes that he hopes to "restart monthly Toronto Real Men meetings to teach men seduction skills and masculinity ... secure a clubhouse for my Hitler Fan Club [and]schedule [an]'Anti-Marxist Book Burning.'"

Your Ward News has been accused of publishing stories that demean women and insult the LGBT community. (Your Ward News)

Canada Post bans delivery

Mail delivery of the controversial publication hasbeen bannedby Canada Post. It is nowdelivered, according to Sears, by volunteers and private distribution companies.

"We have continued to distribute 305,000 copies of each edition, even after the Canada Post mailing ban," he said, adding that the paper was "flooded with requests to volunteer" following the hate speech charges last year.

Lisa and Warren Kinsella, authors and consultants whohave spoken out against Your Ward News, have filed a civil lawsuitagainstSears and St. Germaine,accusing them ofuttering death threats against the couple in a summer 2017 issue of thepublication.

In that edition, Sears wrote about the "chance that some hothead who cares deeply about me would lose it and do something illegal like bludgeon the Kinsellas to death."

Lisa and Warren Kinsella have taken legal action against Your Ward News. (Spencer Gallichan-Lowe / CBC News)

The Kinsellassay the newspaper's main characteristic is attacking identifiable groups.

"It attacksJews,it attacks gays and lesbians, itattackswomen viciously [and promotes]violenceagainst women, minority communities and when you raise your voice against them,they attack you," Warren Kinsellasaid.

In the latest issue, the paper refers to Warren Kinsella as a "pathological liar" and mentions him by name several times. Photographs of the couple are also photo-shopped into the paper.

The Kinsellas planon taking further legal action against the publication next week.

"Iput in a libel notice about some things said about me in response to an article I had written about misogynistic statements in the paper and what was effectively rape advocacy," said Lisa Kinsella.

Warren Kinsella, who has written about racist right for more than 30 years,points out that what makes the publishers of YourWard News different from other alt-right or similarhateful publicationsis their determination to remain in circulation and double down despite facing legal consequences.

'A pretty substantial bank account'

"What's very unusualabout this group is they've even gotten worse than they were before and that suggests to us they're not listening totheir lawyers but they do have a pretty substantial bank account," he said.

The Kinsellasare asking the community to speak out, take legal action where necessary andcontact politiciansto voice theirconcerns about the troubling content inthe paper.

Coun.Mary-MargaretMcMahon (Ward 32, Beaches-East York) says she has heard from multiple concerned residents in the east end.

"They're upset as we all have been for years with this dreaded paper and they're alarmed that it's being delivered again," she said, adding that she has spoken to police, city officials, the ombudsman and Canada Post but they have not been able to come up with a way to stop the publication.

"In the interim, untilwe figure out if they will be convicted, I would say just line your kitty litter boxes with it or wrap your dead fish with it."

Sears saysmost of his critics are "naive boomers and brainwashed [social justice warriors] that are being manipulated by Marxist parasites" and that they should "keep an open mind and read the damn paper before ...and calling the cops."

With files from Adrian Cheung