Anti-gay street preacher charged with assault in West End altercation

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Assault charges have been approved against an anti-gay street preacher after an altercation in the West End this past summer left a man in hospital with a broken leg.

The charges against 42-year-old Dorre Love were approved by Crown counsel on Thursday, according to the Vancouver Police Department.

Love was arrested by police for assault in August, then released. A warrant has now been issued for his arrest.

“The VPD thoroughly investigates all allegations of assault and takes each one seriously,” Const. Tania Visintin says in a release.

Well that should silence the “if the preacher is guilty then why hasn’t he been charged” crowd https://t.co/GG4yxLgwhJ

— Justin Morissette (@JustinMoris) October 22, 2020

“Investigators have worked hard and we are pleased to see charges have been approved by Crown counsel.”

The man who was assaulted, Justin Morissette, tweeted about the charges.

“Well that should silence the ‘if the preacher is guilty then why hasn’t he been charged’ crowd,” he says.

Love and another man were preaching along Davie Street on Aug. 22, when Morissette confronted them, grabbed Love’s microphone, and refused to give it back.

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A physical altercation followed, according to police, and Morrisette ended up with a shattered leg.

Morissette, who works for Sportsnet 650 — a Rogers Sports and Media affiliate — said at the time the person who assaulted him was part of a group that has been blaring bigoted, hateful, and homophobic rhetoric over loudspeakers in the neighbourhood all summer long.

The VPD was criticized for its handling of the anti-gay preacher protests, while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Morrisette and said he wanted to shake his hand.

In a video message on Youtube after the altercation, Love said only a camera could exonerate him.

“The camera shows this guy assaulting me,” he added.

–with files from Hana Mae Nassar