After enduring years of what a lawsuit filed in the Supreme Court of B.C. alleges to be a coordinated, malicious, defamatory and targeted campaign, 麻豆精选's Tyson Cook 鈥� better known by the on-stage persona Freida Whales 鈥� is seeking an injunction and payment for damages.
Graeme Flannigan, a protester who has been seen at many of Freida Whales' performances and who has made numerous posts about Cook on social media, Tammy Ann Mitchell, Tori Olason, the website Action4Canada and an unknown contributor to the publication, have been named as defendants in the suit.
According to the suit, the online campaign of defamation began in January 2023, with defamatory posts on social media shared by the Defendants and the creation and circulation of online petitions entitled " STOP Taxpayer Funded Drag Queen Sexualization of Children," in anticipation of a Drag Storytime event where Cook read to families at the Okanagan Regional Library in 麻豆精选.
The suit states that since 2023, there have been several defamatory publications produced online in which Cook has been falsely labelled a pedophile, a person who indoctrinates and abuses children and a promotor of cannibalism among other things.
Many of the publications and protests organized by the defendants are specifically in objection to Drag Storytime events and all-ages drag shows that Cook has been a part of since 2023.
Cook and many other Drag Queens across the Okanagan and beyond give back to the community by participating in Drag Storytime events, typically held at public libraries. During the story time events, the performer dresses in colourful drag and reads books to families and children. Cook has previously said that the story time events are about encouraging "inclusivity and understanding," and are intended to get children excited about reading while fostering a sense of community and acceptance.
Cook also hosts and performs in drag shows intended for mature audiences and has recently become a Drag the Vote Ambassador and ends all of his shows with a message of love and a call to action.
"As an ambassador, we want to spread the message to research your candidates and get out and vote, and make sure we are voting for human rights," said Cook in an interview about the Drag the Vote campaign.
Cook is now seeking payment for damages and for a court-ordered injunction which would bar the defendants from being able to publish untrue and defamatory information about him.
"Though their conduct and repetition of the defamatory publications, [the defendants] have shown they will not cease their vitriol defamatory campaign against [Cook] unless enjoined by this court," states the suit.
Action4Canada replied to the suit on Feb. 6. In the response it admits to publishing the quoted content referenced in the lawsuit but "denies that the statements are unfounded, coordinated, malicious, defamatory and/or false."
On Feb. 7, Graeme Flannigan has also filed a response, alleging that the statements he made, and the emails and signs he crafted regarding Cook are true. However, he specifically states that he has never stated or inferred that Cook is a pedophile.
Also on Feb. 7, Tammy Ann Mitchell filed a response admitting to the publication of the quoted content but denies that the statements are untrue or false.
