A library in Nova Scotia has refused to host a movie screening after Canada-based community organizer and author Alex Khasnabish refused to make space for a police officer to sit on a discussion panel about the film.

In the past, Khasnabish hosted several film screenings at Halifax Public Libraries, but things became contentious when he elected to screen films exploring police brutality. The program manager asked the author to include a police representative on the discussion.

“I was told that unless I was willing to do that, that the programming would be reconsidered,” he told CBC News.

Khasnabish declined, and his event was subsequently halted. The author and founder of The Radical Imagination Project then took to Facebook to share what happened:

“If the police want to come and attend as individuals, they are welcome to,” he said. 

His choice of two films, Profiled and A.C.A.B, stemmed from his observations of police presence in the community. Halifax Public Library would not offer the meeting space for free, but Khasnabish could pay a fee to rent the space instead. Previously, the author had allegedly never had to pay rent space at the library for a film screening.

Halifax Public Libraries CEO Asa Kachan stood by the suggestion to feature a police panelist. Kachan said, “The library suggested this because of the importance of facilitating an open and uncensored community conversation around the issues of policing, injustice and violence.”

Conversely, Khasnabish believes having police present during the discussion could have a “chilling effect” on those in attendance who have been affected by police brutality and racism.

He is currently looking for a new venue to screen the documentaries.