TDF defends tasered Ottawa protester alleged to be intoxicated

The Democracy Fund (TDF) is defending a person tasered by Ottawa Police after he was arrested for alleged public intoxication throughout an October 2023 protest within the nation’s capital. He was later charged with legal offences.  

A viral video of the arrest exhibits a person on his abdomen exhibiting no apparent indicators of resistance as two law enforcement officials hover above him, certainly one of whom is urgent a Taser towards the person’s again.

Quickly, the person on the bottom begins to scream and writhe in ache as one onlooker yells on the police to cease.

Ontario’s Liquor Licence and Management Act prohibits public intoxication and empowers police to arrest anybody who’s publicly intoxicated if the police assume an arrest is critical for the security of any particular person.

In line with TDF lawyer Adam Blake-Gallipeau, lead counsel on the case, it is the police who most probably prompted a state of affairs of hazard.

“Our data exhibits that our consumer was Tasered inside two minutes of his arrest, after which the police pointed the Taser in direction of a crowd of shocked and anxious onlookers,” the lawyer stated in a TDF press launch.

Whereas public intoxication isn’t a legal offence, the tasered man was later charged with inflicting a disturbance and obstructing a police officer within the execution of their obligation.

“Police can use affordable drive when arresting somebody,” says Blake-Gallipeau. “However this time, they went too far.”

TDF says it intends to vigorously defend this case.