The 25-year old man arrested Sept. 21 following the Take Back The Night march in downtown Sudbury resisted arrest and assaulted a police officer, said Greater Sudbury Police Service.
During the march, officers recognized the man, who was known to police for failing to attend for fingerprints. During the initial attempts to arrest the suspect, he actively resisted and assaulted the officers, said police in a news release. After a brief struggle, the man was arrested and taken to bail court on Sept. 23.
He now faces additional charges of assaulting a peace officer, resisting arrest, mischief under $5,000 and uttering threats. He is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 6, where the full details of this incident will be heard.
"As the matter is now before the courts we are unable to provide further comment," said police.
The man arrested was among a group comprised of members of the Sudbury Against Fascism group (which may be an extension, offshoot or rebranding of the Revolutionary Student Movement, that was tied to a rash of graffiti last winter).
One of the members, who claimed she was there during the arrest, posted an account of the arrest to Facebook on Sept. 22.
Nana Bulikhar, who also purports to be a member of Sudbury Against Fascism, said in her profanity-laden Facebook post she and members of the SAF were hit and knocked to the ground by Greater Sudbury Police officers.
“I just got back from Take Back The Night 2017, where I and others from the Sudbury Against Fascism anti-fascist red bloc were brutalized by fascist pig oppressors.”
“The f--king cowardly pigs parked in a lot right across the street from TBTN and waited for us to leave before jumping on us. Seconds after we left the larger crowd and turned a corner, still within ear-shot, the pigs were on us. Without reason or warning - not that either would make this more acceptable.
“One pig hit me in the face, breaking my glasses and knocking them to the ground. They took one of my comrades down and rubbed their face in the dirt. The pigs held them down with knees on their head and back. They could barely breath, and I was panicking.
“F--k the f--king police. F--k the police! F--k! If you're a defender of the pigs, you are not a defender of the people."
A photo of broken glasses accompanied the post.
The post has since been deleted from social media.
SAF released a statement on Sept. 24, in which they accuse the Greater Sudbury Police of brutality.
"Sudbury Against Fascism condemns this unprovoked and unjustified police brutality and intimidation against anti-fascists who were participating in Take Back The Night. This attack clearly shows that the police are defenders of white supremacy and patriarchy. It is also clear that we cannot rely on the cops to protect us. It is our duty to put our politics into action and protect each other from our oppressors."
SAF said following the release of its statement they will release a video of the arrest, taken by a member of their group. No such video has been posted to date.
