Rebel News mission specialist David Menzies has been arrested after a standoff with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) during a final attempt to question Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Rebel News reported that the accident occurred during a memorial service for the victims of Flight PS752, which was shot down by the Iranian army four years ago.
Video footage from the scene shows an RCMP officer intentionally obstructing Menzies as he attempted to ask Minister Freeland questions.
“Miss. Freeland, how is it possible that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is not a terrorist group? Why does your government support Islam?” Menzies asked.
Seconds later, an unnamed police officer suddenly bumped into Menzies, pressed him against the wall, and said: “You've been arrested for assault.”
The police officer claimed Menezes “pushed” him, but the video tells a different story. It clearly depicts the officer moving into Menzies' path, suggesting that the officer's actions were the problem.
He watches:
BREAKING: Rebel News correspondent David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) He was brutally arrested by the police after he tried to ask questions of Chrystia Freeland.
Visit Rebel News for more on this story: https://t.co/J42ReU1MjY pic.twitter.com/5vgNotnjyy
– Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) January 8, 2024
“you welcome in [Justin Trudeau]”It's Canada,” Menzies said as he was taken into custody. “This is what they do to journalists. I was just trying to address Minister Freeland and the RCMP officer stopped me, and this is clearly a trumped-up assault charge, guys. I came here to do my job and now I'm in handcuffs.”
Menzies continued to express his disbelief, highlighting the paradoxical situation where the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has not been designated a terrorist organization by the Canadian government, yet the same department arrests a journalist at a vigil for Canadians killed in Iranian military action.
Despite the arrest, Menzies was not taken to prison. He was taken into custody in a police car and later released, according to Rebel News.
Ezra Levant, founder of Rebel News, expressed outrage over the incident and stated that legal action would be taken.
“We have an attorney on this case now. We don't know yet if David will have to post bail or when his first court appearance will be. But we need your help.”
Levant, a former lawyer, along with another senior lawyer, Gwede Mamane, are determined to fight the charge. Levant explained that they were preparing a follow-up report on Patrick Brown, the mayor of Brampton, who was previously caught by Menzies participating in private hockey games while public arenas were closed to the community.
The Rebel News team claims they were on public property conducting press when police ordered them to stop and leave the area. Levant insists that this is not how democracy works and that journalists have the right to report from public spaces without undue interference.
“We are determined to fight this matter aggressively and investigate the role of Patrick Brown, the city’s mayor, on why he sent an entire squad of police cars to arrest a peaceful journalist,” Levant said. This does not sound like a police decision. “This seems like a political decision.”
The Rebel News team calls for support as they prepare to confront abuses of press freedom and political maneuvering designed to stifle their reporting.
“If Patrick Brown thinks arresting David will prevent us from investigating his misconduct, then they simply don't know David as well as I do,” Levant concluded with a defiant message.
The incident sparked debate about freedom of the press in Canada.
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