‘Fornicator’ ordered to stay off alcohol
A Toronto man accused of mischief after police allege he climbed the National War Memorial and began “fornicating” the statue has been ordered to stay away from the monument and stop drinking.
Maciej Andrej Szczypka appeared in court by video from the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre on Tuesday wearing an orange jumpsuit. The spiky-haired 22-year-old, who spent close to two days in jail after he was arrested and held late Sunday night, looked down and pursed his lips for much of his short appearance.
He was ordered to abide by several conditions, which included staying away from the National War Memorial and not possessing, buying or drinking alcohol.
When Ontario Court Justice Paulina Brecher asked Szczypka if he understood what would happen if he didn’t abide by the conditions of his release, he responded, “I’ll be in jail.”
Szczypka was released from custody around 6 p.m., hours after a $1,200 deposit was paid for him at the criminal court counter. Seemingly alarmed at the sight of reporters and photographers, Szczypka rushed through the Innes Road jail gates and pulled his shirt over his face. He quickly got into a friend’s car, refusing to make any comment.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on Aug. 27.
Szczypka’s Facebook profile said he attended Monsignor Percy Catholic High School in Toronto and works at irunjdm.com, a website for free automotive and motorcycle classified ads, parts, and vehicles for sale in Canada and the U.S. He lists his first name as Maciek on his profile, which is a variation of Maciej.
Most of his Facebook pictures are of cars, but Szczypka posted one photo that shows himself posing with a large beer bottle in each hand in front of a pair of Montreal police cars. Two other photos appear to have been taken in Sandy Hill. In one of the pictures, the tattooed Szczypka is wearing a T-shirt that reads “Don’t drink and ink.”
He tweeted in October 2013 that he was on his way to work in Ottawa, and a Facebook picture from April 2015 that appeared to be taken in Strathcona Park indicated he was hanging out with his friends near Parliament Hill.
A tweet from January 2014 reads: “Anybody wanna get absolutely wasted with me tonight?: D”
Szczypka’s profile says he lives in Toronto but is from Ustrzyki Dolne in southeastern Poland. He appears to travel between Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal.
Police alleged the 22-year-old had climbed the Elgin Street monument at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday and, according to passersby, “began fornicating the statue.” Witnesses noticed that he was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase “I Need a Drink.”
The man was arrested at the scene after bystanders called police.
The monument honours the country’s war dead and holds the remains of the Unknown Soldier, returned to Canada from France in 2000. It was also the scene of the Oct. 22 shooting by Michael ZehafBibeau that left Cpl. Nathan Cirillo dead.
One passerby, Michael Smith, described the young man’s behaviour as “extremely offensive given what the memorial stands for.”
Police said they will continue to investigate the matter and that more charges were possible.