Rebel News Reporter Arrested by Police While Trying to Interview Pro-Palestinian Protesters

A reporter with Rebel News has been arrested a second time in just over two months.

David Menzies was attempting to interview someone at a pro-Palestinian rally in Toronto when he was told by members of the crowd to back down and allow the individual to pray, according to a video posted by the news organization on March 15.

🚨BREAKING: Toronto Police just arrested David Menzies (@TheMenzoid) for reporting on a Hamas hate rally!

When he tried to interview a Hamas protester, police grabbed him.

Watch this insanity — and help us fight back.https://t.co/HusmT5E0sC pic.twitter.com/Erh45zZC7K

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) March 16, 2024

In the footage captured by a Rebel News cameraman, Toronto police can be seen escorting the reporter off the street and away from protesters after they start to pray.

Toronto police told The Epoch Times in an email that “the accused disrupted a group of individuals as they were praying and was removed from the area by officers.”

The email also said that Mr. Menzies was “uncooperative” when police requested he identify himself. Mr. Menzies was released a few hours later after being charged by police.

Rebel News publisher Ezra Levant says that Mr. Menzies’s arrest was “clearly illegal.”

“David was peacefully doing public interest journalism in a public place when police suddenly grabbed him, arrested him, and took him to jail where they held him for more than four hours,” Mr. Levant told The Epoch Times.

In the Rebel News video, Mr. Levant says while the police arrested Mr. Menzies for not showing identification when asked, he was indeed looking for his ID card to provide to police. Mr. Levant points to footage that seems to show Mr. Menzies going through cards in his wallet with police present. Police then start to arrest and handcuff Mr. Menzies.

One officer says: “You’re under arrest for obstructing police. I’ve asked you for identification numerous times. You failed to identify yourself. That’s obstructing police.”

The reporter appears to have dropped his wallet. An officer can be heard saying, “We’ll get it, sir. Don’t worry. No one will touch it. We’ll get your identification for you.”

Toronto police said that the reporter has been charged with obstructing a peace officer and breach of a peace bond.

Mr. Levant says they are currently consulting with lawyers, and he expects that they will be suing Toronto Police for the arrest.

“They have violated David’s [Menzies] Charter rights as a citizen and as as journalist,” he said.

It’s the second time this year that Mr. Menzies has been arrested. On Jan. 8, the reporter was blocked by a plainclothes RCMP officer while trying to question Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland at an event in Richmond Hill.

In a video published by Rebel News, Mr. Menzies is seen asking Ms. Freeland why Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is not listed as a terrorist organization, as the deputy prime minister and a companion walk to an event commemorating the anniversary of Iran’s shooting down of Ukrainian flight PS752 in 2020.

The deputy prime minister remains silent while Mr. Menzies walks alongside her asking her questions. The video then shows a man in plain clothes intercepting and blocking Mr. Menzies, who says, “Excuse me, what are you doing?”

The man, who later identifies himself as a police officer, is then shown grappling with and pushing Mr. Menzies. He then tells the reporter that he’s under arrest as other officers surround them.

Rebel News filed a lawsuit against members of the RCMP, accusing them of “roughing up” Mr. Menzies during the incident.

The plaintiffs—the media organization and Mr. Menzies—say that the actions of the officers violated his rights to security of the person and freedom from arbitrary detention.

They say it also violated Section 10 of the Charter of Rights, which requires that individuals be informed of the reasons for their detention or arrest.

Omid Ghoreishi contributed to this report. 

Editor’s note: This article was update with comments from Rebel News publisher Ezra Levant.