Toronto Police report that they took two individuals into custody at a pro-Palestinian protest that postponed the beginning of an event featuring the prime minister. The individuals facing charges include a journalist from the online media outlet Rebel News.
According to the police, two men were taken into custody on Friday at the demonstration outside the King Edward Hotel, where Justin Trudeau was the special guest at a fundraiser for the Liberal Party.
The organizers of the protest released a statement prior to the event, stating that the demonstration was intended to convey a message to the Liberal Party of Canada that they could not continue with “business as usual” during the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Law enforcement stated that one man was accused of causing damage to property, while another person identified as David Menzies was charged with obstructing a peace officer and violating a peace bond.
Both Rebel News and Menzies subsequently issued statements on X, previously known as Twitter, confirming his arrest and stating that it occurred when he was attempting to interview protesters on camera. A video released by the outlet shows the commentator being taken away by police after trying to interview some demonstrators.
Menzies has been detained on numerous occasions in encounters with both Liberal and Conservative politicians, most recently in January at an event involving Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in Richmond Hill, Ont. An RCMP officer providing security for the minister made the arrest while Menzies was attempting to ask questions, and York Regional Police later stated that he was unconditionally released after it was determined that there was no credible security threat.
Menzies did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.
