Rally protester makes first court appearance
A protester arrested, then released at a rally in Peterborough in September appeared in court Thursday.
William October made a first appearance in Peterborough’s Ontario Court of Justice.
The 22-year-old is charged with assault and obstructing a police officer during a rally at Confederation Square on Sept. 30.
October, a Toronto resident was among about 1,000 people who turned up to rally against the Canadian Nationalist Front. The organization had planned to hold an anti-immigration event at the park that day, but it didn’t end up happening.
The peaceful counterprotest turned violent when a man wearing a Nazi T-shirt approached the anti-racism protesters.
The man was attacked by several protesters. City police attempted to remove the man from the crowd. During that time, October allegedly punched the man.
Police then put October in the cruiser, at which point the crowd surrounded the car and loudly demanded the suspect be released. Police turned October loose after collecting personal information.
Police later learned the name October provided, Jane Way, was fake. However, October also uses “Jane Way” as a sex worker in Toronto.
October has appeared in several publications as Way, including Flurt Magazine Fall Issue, Vice. com, Sexpress, Sex City Radio, Snapchat Discovery and Apple News, according to October’s website. October also works in the adult film industry.
On Oct. 5, police attended a Toronto residence where October was found, charged and ultimately released from custody.
October appeared before the court Thursday, with several supporters in tow.
The Richmond Street resident returns to court Nov. 15.