Montreal police grab masked woman at protest, issue $3k in COVID fines

By Sheila Gunn Reid
|
April 21, 2021

Fight The Fines

Reporting on and fighting the pandemic fines.

Giovanna Zitiello isn't a criminal, but that's how she's being treated by the Montreal police for simply expressing her displeasure with the oppressive lockdown in her province.

Zitiello went to a an anti-lockdown protest back in March. It's her right as a Canadian citizen to be able to publicly display her opposition to the government. However, in Quebec, the government has been particularly heavy-handed with those who protest the lockdown, by issuing fines and tickets in excess of $1,500 each.

The cops also don't seem to like their actions against protestors being documented and scrutinized. Police have ticketed Rebel News reporters covering anti-lockdown protests, tried to get illegal access to our Airbnb when our team flew in to cover police misdeeds, arrested and criminally charged David Menzies, and routinely harass Yaakov Pollak, even referring to him as “media juif”.

So Zitiello already had that against her. But it gets worse. She's medically mask exempt due to a chronic health condition that can result in fainting. As Zitiello tells it, when she was at the protest, two male officers saw her without her mask. They forcefully grabbed her and tried to force her to wear one, ignoring her explanation that she has a medical condition that prevents her from doing so.

Zitiello describes her experience as frightening and traumatizing. And I agree.

That's why Rebel News is helping her fight her lockdown tickets in court through www.FightTheFines.com. Top criminal lawyer Christina Muccari is working hard to help Zitiello at no cost to her.

If you'd like to help Giovanna Zitiello and the nearly 1,000 other individuals and businesses we are helping to fight their lockdown tickets, please donate today through www.FightTheFines.com. Your donation in defence of civil liberties now qualifies for a charitable tax credit through the Democracy Fund, a registered Canadian charity.

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