Thorold city councillor Jim Handley says he will be going to court after he was fined for attending last weekend's anti-lockdown protest in St Catharines.
In a video posted to a local Facebook-group by Handley on Friday morning, a man identifying himself as a public official approached Handley at his home, handing him two tickets.
Jim Handley confirmed to ThoroldToday.ca that he did receive two $880-fines under both the Emergency Act, as well as the Reopening of Ontario-act.
"I'm going to fight it," Handley said, adding he had been approached by a lawyer who had offered him legal help to deal with the tickets.
"They are looking for people to target. There were other Niagara politicians there, but they didn't get fined," he continued, but would not disclose who those supposed politicians were.
It was on Saturday that hundreds of protesters marched along Lake St. in St Catharines in protest of the government's handling of the pandemic, promoting conspiracy theories and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine. Among the speakers at the event was West Lincoln Mayor Dave Bylsma, who has since received a court summons as well as gotten booted off the city's working group responsible for the local pandemic response. His attendance was followed by a strong public outcry from both St Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik and regional chair Jim Bradley, who both condemned the rally, that took place despite a province-wide stay-at-home. NRPS said charges are still pending in the event.
Handley said he still has not been contacted by Thorold officials or the mayor, who has remained silent over Handley's participation.
"I have said it before and I'll say it again, I was there representing myself, and not as a city councillor," stated Handley, who didn't regret his participation despite the fine.
Critics have questioned why no enforcement was seen during this summers' Black Lives Matter-protests in Niagara Falls, when large crowds took to the streets to protest against police brutality. Handley said the same orders that were in effect then should have led to enforcement, but that it didn't because the protest 'was politically correct at the time.'
Public Health officials have responded to similar inquiries stating that the one-time event saw a majority wear masks, and that the case numbers in the community at that time were very low.
Now, said Handley, he thinks the Canadian government is actively trying to get residents to turn on each other by promoting infighting, and are trying to silence critics.
Yesterday, ThoroldToday.ca reported on a new survey looking for input on how to keep municipal councillors accountable. One of the recommendations is for a council to be able to remove a member who breaches the code of conduct, something that is currently not possible under the legal framework.
Handley said that is a clear sign of trying to suppress outspoken individuals like him.
"Do you know what that is? It is silencing individuals who are outspoken. Why else would they do it? They need to get people under control, politicians included. They want to silence them because people will be fearful of representing the public."
Asked if he was planning on attending the second anti-lockdown rally tomorrow in Niagara Falls, Handley said no.
"I had a prior commitment.."
