NEWS FILE PHOTO The Medicine Hat Provincial Court is seen in this file photo.
jappel@medicinehatnews.com@MHNJeremyAppel
Loki Hulgaard, a local man accused of wilfully promoting hatred and possessing illegal weapons, will have his day in court in the new year.
Defence counsel Michael Gilchrist appeared on Hulgaard’s behalf in provincial court Wednesday, where he agreed to set trial dates of Feb. 26-28, and April 7 and 9.
Additionally, a voir dire hearing will occur Feb. 20 and 21 to determine the admissibility of certain evidence, including that which resulted from a search warrant exercised on Hulgaard’s residence, where his firearms were found.
Hulgaard, nee Brendan Dell, was arrested in August 2018 after attempting to spend currency with anti-Semitic slogans, such as “ZOG” (Zionist Occupied Government) and “Jewish White Genocide.”
Upon executing a search warrant on his house, police found four firearms – two with their serial numbers removed – three over-capacity magazines, 1,200 rounds of ammunition and hate literature.
Hulgaard made an effort to reinstate his firearm licence that had been revoked as a result of the charges against him, which was soundly denied.
That hearing revealed the accused was stockpiling weapons and ammunition in the belief that a post-apocalyptic race war will occur in the near future.
He also said the countless mass shootings in the U.S. were “false flag” attacks staged to confiscate Americans’ guns.
Hulgaard was initially charged with inciting hatred, but that was changed in January to promoting hatred, which carries the same penalty – a maximum of two years imprisonment.
Both involve making public statements directing hate towards an identifiable group, but incitement denotes a likelihood of those statements leading to a breach of peace, so it’s more difficult to prove.
He also faces 13 firearm offences and a breach of his bail conditions for failing to check in at the police station in July.
Hulgaard is out on $4,000 no-cash bail.
