Rebel News sues RCMP, alleging pattern of ‘intimidation and exclusion’

Rebel News and one of its media personalities, David Menzies, are taking the RCMP to court, accusing the federal police force of engaging “in a pattern of intimidation and exclusion.”

The lawsuit, which is also directed at the York Regional Police and the Attorney General of Canada, stems from Menzies’s high-profile profile arrest in January.

In a video posted by Rebel News, Menzies is seen trying to ask Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland questions in Richmond Hill, Ont., about the government’s decision to leave the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) off the designated terrorist entity list.

Freeland and Menzies were both attending an event to mark the destruction of Flight PS752, the Ukrainian International Airlines jetliner that was destroyed by the Iranian military in January 2020. All 176 people onboard died, including 55 Canadians and 30 permanent residents.

In the video, a plainclothes RCMP officer appears to step into Menzies’ path while he’s carrying a microphone.

The officer subsequently grabs Menzies by his lapels, pushes him against a wall and accuses him of assault while putting him under arrest.

“Police — you’re under arrest for assault. You pushed into me, sir,” the unidentified officer is heard saying. 

“I didn’t touch a single person,” Menzies says in response.

Rebel and Menzies allege the officer, whom they refer to as John Doe 1, “positioned himself to ensure physical contact with Mr. Menzies and to ensure that Mr. Menzies would have no option but to suffer physical contact.”

The statement of claim, shared by lawyer Lawrence Greenspon, alleges another officer, John Doe 2, told Menzies he was “very aggressive” and “running in with his microphone very aggressive.”

Rebel and Menzies go on to allege the officer “engaged in theatre.”

“There were no reasonable and probable grounds for an arrest,” says the court document.

Claim alleges Charter violations

According to the statement of claim, York police drove Menzies to an empty parking lot several blocks from the event venue and told him he was not being charged. The claim says he was then told that, according to the terms of the Trespass to Property Act, he would not be allowed to return to the venue.

The statement of claim said that prevented Menzies from doing his job and talking to attendees.

The document also alleges RCMP officers assaulted Menzies in 2020 when he tried to ask Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a question about the government’s response to COVID-19, and shot another Rebel News personality with a riot-suppressing gun during the 2022 convoy protest in Ottawa.

Rebel News has taken the RCMP to court separately in both of those matters and is asking for donations to cover its legal costs.

“RCMP have over the last few years engaged in a pattern of intimidation and exclusion against Rebel News journalists, including Mr. Menzies,” the most recent lawsuit claims.

Rebel and Menzies also allege multiple Charter rights were violated, including the right to freedom of expression and freedom from arbitrary detention.

The claims have not yet been proven in court.

York Regional Police said Menzies was released unconditionally after it was determined there was no credible security threat.

After the incident made news, the RCMP said  it was “looking into the incident” and the actions of everyone involved.

CBC has requested comment from the RCMP about the lawsuit.

When questioned about the incident, Freeland said politicians have no say in operational decisions made by police.