Charges have been laid against a man who threw a smoke grenade inside a restaurant in Victoria, British Columbia, local police say. The suspect had already been arrested earlier in the day and released after being granted bail.
The Victoria Police Department said charges were laid against the man in a press release earlier this week.
“Charges have been sworn against a man who discharged a smoke grenade inside a restaurant in the 500-Block of Fisgard Street yesterday. The accused faces one count of Mischief and one count of Breach of Undertaking (for failing to comply with conditions),” police said in a statement.
Police departments are pleading with Trudeau to fix his broken catch-and-release justice system.
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Common sense Conservatives will repeal Trudeau's disastrous Bill C-75. And bring jail, not bail, for violent repeat offenders: https://t.co/ftdDQU1DkB pic.twitter.com/qlsip65BnS
At approximately 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 7, officers responded to a report from a witness who saw a man break the front door of a restaurant in the 500-block of Fisgard Street using a rock, the statement reads. The suspect fled the scene before police arrived, but officers were able to identify, locate and arrest him within two hours of the incident. Charges have not yet been approved, as the investigation is still ongoing.
The accused was released with conditions not to return to the business and to attend a future court date.
The police statement explains how this was possible, noting that Bill C-74, which came into effect nationally in 2019, legislated a “principal of restraint” that “requires police to release an accused person at the earliest possible opportunity after considering certain factors which include the likelihood the accused will attend court, the imminence of the risk posed to public safety, and the impact on confidence in the criminal justice system.”
Police say that at the time of the first incident, there was no reason to believe the accused would not meet any of the criteria, so to comply with the legislation, he was released. At approximately 2 p.m. on the same day of his arrest, officers responded to a report of the smoke grenade being discharged.
Canada is experiencing a "massive crime wave" says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
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Do the Liberals "really believe banning hunting rifles in rural communities will stop knife crime in downtown cities?"https://t.co/DhEzniLCXg pic.twitter.com/ZYolpwcEaq
Officers arrived at the scene, where 30 patrons had been evacuated, believing the same suspect was responsible for both offences and located the suspect quickly.
The accused was released yet again by the courts with conditions and a future court appearance.
Rising crime rates has been diagnosed by some, including Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, as being the result of what he calls “catch-and-release” justice system.
'Mr. Speaker, does the prime minister believe banning hunting rifles in rural communities will stop knife crime in downtown cities?' Pierre Poilievre asked of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
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MORE: https://t.co/B84g8OUgWu pic.twitter.com/bRvRmnr1ea
Poilievre has previously criticized bail reform laws, saying that changes to the laws have made it so criminals “get to come out for a few days to stab someone, to slit someone's throat or to beat someone with a baseball bat.”
