Man, woman charged after anti-vaccination protest at Eaton Centre: Toronto police
Two people arrested at an anti-vaccination protest at the Eaton Centre on Saturday have been charged with assault, Toronto police say.
According to investigators, a large group of anti-vaccination protesters arrived at the Eaton Centre on Saturday and attempted to enter the mall.
Police say the protesters were denied access by uniformed security staff and at one point, a security guard was assaulted.
No injuries to protesters or security staff were reported.
Police say Michael Leaf, a 29-year-old Thornhill resident, and Vanessa Carvalho, a 23-year-old Brampton woman, have each been charged with one count of assault.
They are scheduled to appear at the Old City Hall courthouse on Dec. 15 at 11 a.m.
Caryma Sa'd, who was at the protest to capture footage of what was taking place, said the incident began as a rally at Yonge-Dundas Square.
"At the end of sort of the main speaker's portion of the rally, people kind of dispersed. And I started hearing yelling coming from behind me," she told CP24 on Sunday, adding that she could hear people encouraging protesters to "band together" in non-compliance.
In video footage of the protest, people could be seen shoving security guards and police in an attempt to enter the downtown shopping mall.
"There was violence on the part of the crowd," S'ad said.
"I would say mall security really did its best to hold the people back and police were there, but whatever the rationale was for not being strong on enforcement, the reality is they really didn't do much to hold people back."
Cadillac Fairview, the company that owns the Eaton Centre, released a statement Sunday.
“Cadillac Fairview collaborated with Toronto Police Service to prevent the group from entering the shopping centre. We take the health and safety of our guests, clients and employees very seriously and at no time did the centre give permission for this action. Given the circumstances, the primary focus of TPS and Cadillac Fairview was to maintain a safe environment for all and minimize disruption while the group was onsite,” the statement read.
“Cadillac Fairview with the support of TPS will continue efforts to prevent this from occurring again in the property.”
Speaking to reporters at a vaccination clinic at Sherway Mall on Sunday, Mayor John Tory said while protesters have a right to demonstrate, they must do so peacefully.
"Those people who have an objection to vaccinations, and proof of vaccination being required, should decide that they are going to protest peacefully," he said of the incident at the Eaton Centre on Saturday.
"I have no problem with them having a different opinion about this and I have no problem with them choosing, if that's what they wish to do, not to get vaccinated.... That's a choice they can make. What they don't have a choice of doing is obstructing other people or behaving in an aggressive manner."
Tory encouraged mall operators to call police if they feel these protests are "crossing a line."
"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, who support the policies of the governments to have proof-of-vaccination be required," he added.
"I don't tell the police what to do nor do any politicians but I would just say my opinion would be if people are engaging in aggressive, especially physically aggressive behaviour that is putting others at risk or is unduly disruptive, then I would hope that the police would decide... to arrest them."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.