Canada

Conservative MP Michelle Ferreri is praising the Peterborough Police Service for arresting a man accused of hurling homophobic slurs and burning a Pride flag — a move that drew the ire of some social media users who condemned her as a "fake" Conservative.

A 48-year-old man was arrested last week on two charges of criminal harassment after he was accused of stealing a Pride flag, burning it and — according to police — "screaming" anti-gay epithets.

The arrest demonstrates that "hate has no place in our community and our country and will not be tolerated," Ferreri said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday.

Dozens of social media users responded to Ferreri's praise of the arrest with a stream of homophobic slurs. Others said the man's arrest was unjustified and that as a member of a party that supports free speech, Ferreri was out of line.

One social media user, Shawn Quenneville, told Ferreri in an online post that "they're pedophiles" — an apparent reference to members of the LGBTQ community.