Man, woman arrested for assault following Eaton Centre protest
Unmasked group clashed with mall security staff in weekend altercation
Toronto police have arrested and charged a man and a woman with assault in relation to an incident at the Eaton Centre following an anti-vaccine protest Saturday.
Police say the two individuals were among a group of people who clashed with the mall’s security staff.
In a video posted on social media by lawyer Caryma Sa’d, protesters can be seen trying to enter the mall without a mask, in violation of public health measures.
Police said an Eaton Centre security guard was assaulted during the incident, adding that no protesters or mall staff were injured.
“Crew officers from 51 and 52 division attended the incident,”
Toronto police spokesperson Ed Parks told the Star, adding that police mounted units were on standby.
Sa’d felt the police response was “in stark contrast to other forms of police action that we’ve seen in Toronto this summer, most notably with respect to encampments. I witnessed people assaulting police officers and security guards with seemingly little to no repercussions.”
The incident took place after a planned anti-vaccine demonstration in Yonge-Dundas Square, which saw known COVID-19 conspiracy theorist Christopher Saccoccia use statements to encourage people to “band together” and disobey masking laws, Sa’d said over the phone.
“He made several statements where it’s clear that he was inciting people to band together in what he termed united noncompliance, to disobey mask mandates and vaccine mandates,”
she said.
Toronto police refused to comment on Saccoccia’s, or anyone else’s involvement, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Michael Leaf, 29, of Thornhill, and Vanessa Carvalho, 23, of Brampton, were each charged with one count of assault.
They are scheduled to appear
in court on Dec. 15.
The Star reached out to Cadillac Fairview, owner of the Eaton Centre, for comment, but did not hear back before deadline.
Toronto held a number of mobile vaccine clinics at several malls on Saturday and Sunday, including at Eaton Centre, Sherway Gardens and Yorkdale mall.
People could receive either first or second doses at these pop-up sites.
During an appearance at the vaccine clinic held at Sherway Gardens Sunday, Mayor John Tory told media that people who have objections to vaccines should protest peacefully.
“What they don’t have a choice in is obstructing other people or behaving in an aggressive manner,” he said.
“If the mall owners feel that these kinds of demonstrations are crossing a line in terms of aggressive behaviour, they’ll call the police,” he added.
“What we don’t have is the right for a group of people to have tyranny over the majority who have chosen to get vaccinated, to support the policies of the governments to have proof of vaccination be required so that we can keep the economy and schools and everything else open and head toward a robust recovery.”