TORONTO -- Police have charged the organizer of an anti-mask rally that was held in Hamilton last weekend.
In a news released issued Friday, Hamilton police said they informed the organizer prior to the event that it would violate COVID-19 gathering rules and charges would be laid.
Despite the warning, police said the organizer went ahead with the ‘Hugs Over Masks’ event at city hall on Sunday, which was attended by more than 100 people.
“The City of Hamilton By-Law Enforcement and Hamilton Police Service attended the event and confirmed that the number of attendees exceeded the numbers permitted for an outdoor gathering,” police said.
The organizer was issued with a provincial offences act summons for failing to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.
The outdoor gathering limit for Hamilton at the time was 100 people.
Police said the organizer could face a minimum fine of $10,000.
He will appear in court in February next year.
