Due to safety and security issues, an LGBT gym in Edmonton, Alberta has temporarily closed its doors after reports of doxxing came about, according to The Star.
The gym posted news of its temporary closure on their Facebook page, mentioning that some of the staff members of the gym had their personal information leaked with malicious intent. They said “QUEERFLEX takes any threats — direct or implied — to our members, contractors, volunteers, and anyone affiliated with our gym seriously” and that even though the group responsible for the doxxing has never shown itself in person, the gym’s staff isn’t taking any chances when it comes to safety.
Queerflex has met with the Edmonton PD hate crimes unit to increase security in its building and to suspend any existing memberships to avoid any possible financial problems while the gym is closed. The police are investigating the incident.
Ryan Dean is the man accused of the doxxing, who, in the past, was part of such far-right groups as Wolves of Odin and Canadian Infidels. He’s currently a member of The Clann, which, if you didn’t already guess, is also a far-right group. On the website Patriot Pride Canada Wide, an alternate news website, posted that Canadians “must secure the existence of our people and a future for our children” which sounds a bit… Holocaust-like to say the least and said that Queerflex is an Antifa training facility and that the gym is a “training compound for domestic terrorists.” He posted names and pictures of gym members and trainers as well as linked to their personal Facebook pages.
He also insults the gymgoers by calling them “gender-confused unicorns bouncing around slapping each other.” Classy. He also said that by people attending the gym, they are putting other people’s lives at risk every day so doxxing them is just giving them a taste of their own medicine. I don’t know about you, but this guy seems a bit paranoid. He did sort of admit that what he did could be dangerous as he said that posting personal information on his blog could “probably” cause some safety concerns.
It must have been frightening for the gym members to have their personal information revealed so publicly and I hope that no harm was done to them, physically or psychologically. It is my hope that the gym reopens soon and without fear for the members’ safety because nobody deserves to live in fear.
Source: The Star