Anti-tram activist Robert Lavoie, who wrote a comment on social media linking Corporal Denis Lortie to Quebec City Hall, was formally charged with criminal harassment on Thursday morning.
• Also read: Threatening comments on Denis Lortie: The Robert Lavoie case in the hands of the DPCP
The city confirmed over the summer that it had reported to the SPVQ following Lavoie’s comments in a social media posting by a group of streetcar project opponents.
“When will there be a visit to the city council by a Denis Lortie imitator?” the man wrote, referring to the massacre at the National Assembly in 1984. Corporal Lortie had entered the building to attack René Lévesque and his deputies Three employees were killed and 13 others were injured.
Following its investigation, the SPVQ submitted the file to the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP) in August. The decision to file charges against Robert Lavoie was confirmed Thursday morning.
Already expelled from the council
Robert Lavoie is well known to Quebec city council. He appeared there several times to express his strong opinions; He was excluded from one of the meetings in particular because of his comments. He was also a member of the “Tramway noThanks” movement before he was also expelled from it.
It was Mayor Bruno Marchand himself and city councilor Maude Mercier Larouche who filed a police report.
“It is unacceptable for elected officials to experience this type of interaction in their lives. This impacts their engagement, their ability to do their work, and their family. We take it seriously,” Mayor Marchand responded at the time.
Lavoie must respect a ban on contact with the mayor and city councilor Mercier Larouche for the duration of the proceedings. He won’t be able to reference it on social media either.
The case will be heard again in court on December 11th.
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