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Summary

Maxime Bernier Spent 8 Hours In Jail After He Was Arrested At A Manitoba 'Freedom Rally'

A video shows an RCMP officer taking him into police custody.
Reporter

People's Party of Canada (PPC) Leader Maxime Bernier was arrested after making an appearance at a 'freedom rally' in Manitoba on June 11 for allegedly violating public health rules.

According to a PPC press release, he then spent eight hours in jail before being released on the night of June 11 after paying  $1,000 cash bail.

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A video of an RCMP officer arresting Bernier, posted to Twitter, shows police asking him whether he was carrying a weapon — to which he replied, "Only my words."

It's not the first time Bernier has had run-ins with police forces in Canada due to violating COVID-19 public health rules. In May, Bernier said he was fined $2,800 in Regina, Saskatchewan for another 'freedom rally.'

Martin Masse, a spokesperson for the PPC, said in a press release on June 11 that Bernier was arrested "for opposing the unjustified and unscientific lockdown measures."

"This isn't about covid anymore. It's political repression. This is the kind of stuff countries like China and Russia do," he wrote.

This morning, after cancelling his "Mad Max Manitoba Tour," Bernier boarded a flight back to Montreal, vowing to "continue the fight to end the unjustified and disastrous lockdowns in Manitoba and across the country." He will have to appear in court in Winnipeg on July 27. 

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    • Lea Sabbah
    • Lea Sabbah was a Staff Writer for MTL Blog. Previously, Lea was a radio host on CJLO 1690 AM and her work has been published by Global News, the Toronto Star, Le Devoir and the National Observer. In 2019, she was part of the investigative team that uncovered lead in Montreal's drinking water — a story which won Quebec's Grand Prix Judith-Jasmin. She's a graduate of the journalism program at Concordia University.

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