B.C.-based parental rights activist Chris Elston, known as “Billboard Chris,” says he was detained June 14 in Madrid, Spain, while he was attempting to hold conversations in the public square about child gender transition.
The well-known activist says one of his two smartphones was seized along with his passport five minutes after he started speaking in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol public square.
“Taken to the police station, fingerprinted, treated like a criminal because I showed up at the public square to have peaceful conversations about how children are being harmed,” Elston posted June 14 on X. “Spain has done nothing to stop giving kids puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.”
The Spanish National Police did not respond to a request for comment by time of publication.
Elston said he wasn’t clear about what specific infraction he was being accused of, but that Spanish police told him he couldn’t film with a tripod. He was released several hours after his arrest and returned to the same square where he continued speaking with people.
Elston added that he was fined, and posted a photo of the alleged citation. The image shows no fine amount but says Elston was recording in a public space with a tripod without authorization and engaging in unauthorized use of public space.
Elston, of Vancouver, has become a recognizable figure internationally for wearing sandwich boards in public spaces opposing childhood gender transition and holding conversations with passersby about the issue.
“As a father, I have grave concerns about the impact of harmful gender ideology on our children’s wellbeing,” Elston has said about his activism.
Elston says his mission in Spain is to motivate politicians to pass legislation to “start protecting children” from gender transitions.
“To the political authorities in Spain — please start protecting children in your magnificent country from this unscientific craze which is sterilizing children and causing grievous, irreversible harm,” Elston wrote.
Elston has had several past incidents with police due to his activism work.
In 2025, he and Alliance Defending Freedom International (ADF) employee Lois Miller were arrested in Brussels, Belgium, while wearing signs saying “children are never born in the wrong body” and “children cannot consent to puberty blockers.” The two were detained for several hours and released without charges.
Following the incident, the ADF sent a legal demand letter to Belgian authorities asking for compensation and saying both Elston and Miler’s rights to free expression had been infringed upon. The matter is a pending legal dispute and hasn’t yet resulted in a public court judgment or settlement.
In March of last year, Elston was detained by police in Brisbane, Australia, while wearing sandwich boards and talking to people about child gender transition. He was reportedly removed by police and fined AU$806, though no criminal charges were laid. Elston challenged the fine and actions against him, leading to a letter from Brisbane City Council withdrawing the fine.
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