Rebel News Reporter Arrested by Police Officer While Reporting on Toronto Street
Ms. Freeland remains silent as Mr. Menzies’s walks alongside her, still asking questions while holding his microphone. The video then shows a man in plain clothes intercepting and blocking Mr. Menzies, who later identifies himself as a police officer. Mr. Menzies says, “Excuse me, what are you doing?”
The police officer is then shown grappling with and pushing Mr. Menzies, and telling him he’s under arrest, as other officers surround them.
“You’re under arrest for assaulting a police officer,” the officer says.
“How is that possible? You assaulted me,” Mr. Menzies replies.
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The first officer then grabs Mr. Menzies’s hand to put it behind his back.
“I got my credential here,” Mr. Menzies says as he points to a reporter badge around his neck. “And you just bumped into me.”
To which the officer repeats, “Police. You are under arrest for pushing me.”
The video then shows Mr. Menzies, still holding his microphone, talking to a second officer, as the first one stands on the side. The second officer says, “You were very aggressive [inlegible],” to which Mr. Menzies responds, “You mean I was asking questions aggressively?”
The officer says, “No no, your actions were, you were almost pushing everybody over.”
Mr. Menzies responds, “That’s an absolute falsehood,” and confirms with his cameraman that he had captured what transpired on video.
“That’s how it appeared,” the officer replies.
“So now it appeared that way, that’s what you’re saying, officer? It appeared I was pushing people? I didn’t touch a single person,” Mr. Menzies says.
“That was a little bit aggressive for what was happening,” the officer says, and asks Mr. Menzies to get the microphone “out of my face,” telling him that he is under arrest.
Mr. Menzies is then handcuffed by uniformed York Regional Police officers and taken to a police car.
Rebel News publisher Ezra Levant told The Epoch Times that the outlet is likely going to take legal action against police for the arrest.
“We are still finalizing our response, but I believe it is likely we will sue the RCMP and the York Regional Police for false arrest, false imprisonment, and assault,” Mr. Levant said. He added that Rebel is crowdfunding to cover the legal fees.
The Epoch Times contacted the RCMP and the York Regional Police for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.
Mr. Menzies was released without charges on the same day, Rebel News confirmed.
