Far-right group supports Trudeau heckler’s federal bid

The man arrested during a confrontation with Justin Trudeau in June says he’s running to become the Bloc Québécois candidate in the prime minister’s riding and he can count on support from Quebec’s far right.

Storm Alliance — which has staged rallies at the Canada-U.S. border to “protect” Quebecers from refugee claimants — sent a delegation to the campaign launch of Matthieu Brien Wednesday.

Brien says he wants to represent the Bloc in the Papineau riding in the 2019 federal election. The 31-year-old confronted Trudeau during an event to celebrate Quebec’s Fête nationale, calling the prime minister “mon tabarnak” and accusing him of betraying Quebecers.

He was arrested in Jarry Park that day and pleaded guilty to a charge of obstructing a peace officer in the execution of his duty. Brien pleaded not guilty and was released under a court order not to participate in political activities.

On Wednesday, moments after Brien’s lawyer had that condition lifted, he stood on the steps of Montreal’s courthouse and declared his candidacy for federal office.

In a livestream of the press conference, one of the attendees can be seen wearing a Storm Alliance sweatshirt. Guillaume Fiset, an anti-radicalization expert and former white supremacist, compares Storm Alliance to groups like La Meute.

Fiset told the Montreal Gazette last May that the groups preach right wing, anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim populism. For its part, Storm Alliance argues that it isn’t against Islam itself but merely radical Islam and illegal immigration.

The Bloc Québécois could not immediately be reached for comment to clarify its relationship with Brien.