Man faces charges over online hate on social media

A 38- year- old Quebec man appeared in court Tuesday on charges of inciting hatred and advocating genocide in connection with racist and homophobic posts on a social media account. A judge ordered Valentin Auclair of Granby, Que., be sent for a psychiatric evaluation and he is due back in court Jan. 13. Auclair faces two charges of inciting hatred against an identifiable group and one charge of advocating genocide. The charges relate to communications between July 30 and Aug. 10, 2019, and between Nov. 4, 2019 and Jan. 5, 2020. The posts include alleged hate speech against Muslims, Jews, blacks and homosexuals as well as several posts promoting Aryan supremacy. After his writings were brought to light, the author of the posts took to the site to say his right to freedom of speech was being trampled.