Brad Love Arrested at Political Meeting in Toronto
“Please phone your nearest Canadian Consulate and ask, how a country that says it is commited to Freedom of Speech and Human Rights can put a man in jail for writing letters?”
REXDALE. March 19, 2009. Eight burly Metro policemen burst into a Rexdale hotel meeting room this evening and handcuffed and arrested former political prisoner Brad Love, apparently, for “breach of parole.”
Mr. Love had just finished giving a rousing talk on freedom of speech in Canada to a standing room only gathering of supporters of the Canadian Association for Free Expression. He had warned that police were eager to crack down on immigration critics. Almost prophetically he explained: “If immigration were reformed and criminals kept out, it would mean far fewer cops and less overtime, also fewer social workers. Immigration is a growth industry.”
Mr. Love was convicted, in 2003, under Sec. 319 of Canada’s notorious “anti-hate” law Sec. 319 of the Criminal Code for writing letters to MPs, MPPs, and newspapers — over 10,000 letters he reckons in a 20 year period. He drew the stiffest sentence ever — 18 months in prison. Earlier, while violent criminals were released on bail, Mr. Love was repeatedly denied bail. At one point, his parents unsuccessfully offered to post $250,000 and were turned down.
Mr. Love was twice sent back to prison, once for 46 days, the second time for 5 months, again for writing non-violent, non-threatening letters to public officials. After his last stint in prison, he was ordered for three years not to write to ANY elected official in Canada.
For the past two and a half years, Mr. Love has worked in Fort McMurray in the oil industry.
Meeting chairman Paul Fromm, Director of the Canadian Association for Free Expression, called tonight’s arrest “an outrage. This is like Haiti. We’re becoming a banana republic — 8 cops to arrest an unarmed man at a political meeting!”
Mr. Fromm pointed out that Rexdale has some areas notorious for gunfire and killings between rival Jamaican gangs. “I guess there are no crack dealers to arrest tonight. So, the local constabulary can free up eight men to arrest a letter writer who complains about poorly screened immigration and immigrant crime.”
CAFE organized protests outside the prison when Mr. Love was twice incarcerated for writing letters in apparent violation of his parole conditions.
“What sort of country jails political dissidents and letter writers?” he demanded. “It’s a disgrace.”
MSM Report:
Man’s speech in Toronto leads to his fourth arrest
March 25th, Update:
Political Prisoner Brad Love May Not Write Letters to Anyone – Yes, That’s In Canada, Not North Korea
Source: SF-Canada
