Advisory — Response to Media
The following response has been provided to media who inquire about the active trespass notice currently prohibiting Frances Widdowson from accessing the University of Lethbridge campus.
Frances Widdowson is currently subject to a trespass notice that prohibits her from accessing the University of Lethbridge campus. The notice was issued on February 4, 2026, after she held an unscheduled event on campus that was met with significant protest.
She was reminded in writing by the University that the trespass notice remained in effect on April 20, 2026.
On April 24, 2026, she contravened the notice by driving onto campus. Police officers engaged with her while she was still in her vehicle, reminded her of the notice, and warned her not to return.
The following day, Widdowson returned to campus. University security advised her of the trespass notice and asked her to leave. When she refused, security contacted police, who enforced the notice.
The University has reasonable grounds to believe that Widdowson’s presence would again result in significant disruption that exceeds the University’s ability to manage it. She has made clear repeatedly through her own statements (in person and online) that when she attends campus, she will not leave until removed. The concern with the ability to safely manage the situation is further challenged by her ongoing social media promotion encouraging and inciting a crowd response on campus. This includes videos intended to provoke University of Lethbridge community members, including one in which she mocked Indigenous smudging ceremonies (blowing marijuana smoke on her social media props).
About the February 4, 2026, Trespass Notice
On February 4, Widdowson held an unscheduled event on campus. She alerted our campus community about the time and place she intended to be shortly before her arrival and live-streamed her presence drawing an increasing crowd. The University monitored the situation closely as similar recent events at the University of Victoria, University of British Columbia, University of Manitoba, and University of Winnipeg, resulted in safety concerns and significant disruption, including arrests and reports of assaults.
When Widdowson arrived on campus on February 4 the University communicated with its community to reaffirm its commitment to free expression, alongside expectations for respectful and lawful conduct. Widdowson was permitted to remain on campus to exercise that expression and was met with significant protest from others exercising their own rights. Universities are places where controversial ideas should be examined, critiqued, and challenged through rigorous, evidence-based inquiry.
The February 4 event and related protest were allowed to continue for more than six hours. Throughout, the University’s priority was to support lawful expression while maintaining as safe an environment as possible. When it became clear the situation would not de-escalate, and that safety could no longer be maintained and core operations were being disrupted due to institutional capacity, the University issued a trespass notice which was served on Widdowson by the police. When she did not leave, the police removed her.