When men's group Return of Kings holds its International Meet-up Day in Windsor this Saturday, protesters will be there to greet them.
The group is holding events in cities around the globe at 8pm February 6, including in ten Canadian cities. The local event is at Bert Weeks Memorial Garden, a public park along the riverfront.
Members are asked to identify themselves by using the phrase "Do you know where I can find a pet shop?" The reply is "Yes. It's right here." They will leave at 8:20pm for a meeting at a secret location.
Protest co-organizer Kristen Mantha believes the group will "go bar to bar."
Protests are planned for many of the events. In Windsor, organizers, including many community agencies, want demonstrators to arrive at 7pm.
The leader of Return of Kings, Roosh V or Roosh Vorek, is an anti-feminist writer and "pick-up artist." He's known for his book "Bang: The Pickup Bible That Helps You Get More Lays." Vorek claims his blog post called "How to Stop Rape," which advocates the legalization of rape, was satire.
Director of Community Engagement at Welcome Centre Remy Boulbol says although Vorek has encouraged his followers to photograph and take video of protesters so he can retaliate against them. She believes the event can't be ignored.
"If we don't show up we are putting every woman that is at risk in more danger," she says. "I have full faith in our police service that they will do what needs to be done to ensure that everyone is protected."
Mantha hopes to reveal who Vorek's followers are.
"I want their faces to be known," he says. "They should be on the sex offenders list, in my opinion."
Protesters are asked not to engage members of the group and tell police if they notice anyone taking their picture or videotaping them.
Like mayors in many cities where Return of Kings has scheduled events, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens has denounced Saturday's meet-up tweeting "@rooshv Your hate is not wanted nor welcome in my @CityWindsorON."
BlackburnNews.com has attempted to reach Roosh V by Twitter, but he has tweeted at other reporters that he "doesn't respect the work of female journalists."
