Rebel News political commentator David Menzies, who was arrested by police on Monday while trying to ask questions of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, was also arrested back in 2021 while trying to ask questions of Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman .
On Monday, Mr Menzies turned to Ms Freeland, microphone in hand, to question her about the government's failure to date to add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Iran's ideological army – to its list of terrorist organisations.
A video shared by Rebel News shows Mr Menzies was quickly stopped by a police officer who told him he was under arrest for assault. York Regional Police finally told various media outlets on Tuesday that the charges had been dropped.
The video quickly spread online and caught the attention of conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who strongly condemned it.
“This is the state of press freedom. In Canada. In 2024. After eight years of Trudeau,” he exclaimed on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday evening.
A journalist was arrested for questioning a Liberal minister and Parliament's press gallery didn't say a word.
Trudeau has divided the media into two groups: those he has bought with subsidies and those he is censoring and shutting down.
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— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) January 9, 2024
The Conservative Party also launched an online petition calling on “Justin Trudeau to end his regime of censorship and arrest of journalists who dare ask questions he doesn't like.”
Two weights, two measures?
“Trudeau's policies have divided the media into two groups: those he bought with subsidies and those he censors and shuts down. Sensible Conservatives will not stand idly by while freedom of the press is violated by the Trudeau government and its bodyguards,” added Marilyn Gladu, the Conservatives’ head of civil rights, in a press release.
A journalist was arrested for questioning a Liberal minister and Parliament's press gallery didn't say a word.
Trudeau has divided the media into two groups: those he has bought with subsidies and those he is censoring and shutting down.
Sign up here to…
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) January 9, 2024
However, during the 2021 election campaign, which pitted Justin Trudeau against Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, the same Rebel News commentator was also arrested while attempting to question a Conservative candidate, future MP Melissa Lantsman.
Mr. Menzies wanted to ask Ms. Lantsman about Ontario's shutdown of essential services when he was arrested.