A video of a Rebel News personality being arrested in Richmond Hill while asking questions of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has gone viral across the nation and prompted a debate about freedom of the press in Canada.
David Menzies was arrested for assault on Monday and led away by York Regional Police officers after the video shows him approaching Freeland on the sidewalk of a plaza where an event honouring Canadians who lost their lives in the missile attack of Flight PS752 in 2020 was being held.
No charges were issued and Menzies was released a short time later, as there was no credible security threat.
York Regional Police have confirmed in a statement that the officer initially apprehending Menzies was part of the RCMP security detail for the event, and that the York Regional Police officers were present for security and traffic control. York Regional Police assisted with the arrest due to the interaction occurring within their jurisdiction.
RCMP Sgt. Kim Chamberland said the RCMP is “looking into the incident” and actions of the involved parties, and declined further comment.
The Rebel News video widely shared on social media and featured in multiple media reports shows Menzies holding a microphone as he asks Freeland why the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has not been declared a terrorist organization, as she continues to walk along the sidewalk. A non-uniformed officer appears to stand in his way and the two collide.
The RCMP officer is seen grabbing Menzies by the collar and tells him he's under arrest for assaulting a police officer, while uniformed York Regional Police officers stand by his side.
When Menzies protests and asks why he’s being arrested when the officer bumped into him while he was doing his job as a journalist, the officer can be heard saying, “You pushed into me.”
As Menzies is being arrested by multiple uniformed York Regional Police officers, the video continues to roll.
“This is what happens to journalists, I was merely scrumming Minister Freeland and an RCMP officer blocked me,” he said. “I didn’t come here to cause any trouble, I came here to do my job and now I’m handcuffed. This is your Canada now, folks.”
Some of the debate following the incident surrounds the validity of Menzies' assertion that he is a journalist — Rebel News is a Canadian far-right political and social commentary website — however, the main focus has been on the issue of freedom of the press.
In a post about the incident, Rebel News founder Ezra Levant called the situation “despicable" and is threatening lawsuits.
Conservative Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre also took to social media to comment, stating, "this is the state of freedom of the press" in Canada in 2024.
"A journalist was arrested for questioning a Liberal minister, and the Parliamentary Press Gallery doesn’t say a word," Poilievre posted. "Trudeau has divided media into two groups: those he’s bought off with bailouts and those he censors and has arrested."
This is the state of freedom of the press.
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) January 9, 2024
In Canada. In 2024.
After 8 years of Trudeau. pic.twitter.com/7EpRW0fulX
Even billionaire Elon Musk chimed in, voicing his confusion about why Menzies would be arrested.
"Fine for the officer to body block someone trying to get close to a senior government official, but false to say that he deliberately assaulted an officer," he posted.
Sure looks that way. Fine for the officer to body block someone trying to get close to a senior government official, but false to say that he deliberately assaulted an officer.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 9, 2024
Menzies has been involved in other incidents with police and security services, including an apprehension by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's protective detail in Toronto and arrest following an interaction with now Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman in Thornhill in 2021.
Editor's Note, Jan. 10: The headline and content of this article have been altered to clarify that the charge of assault was not dropped, as no charge was laid by York Regional Police.
