The crowd of supporters gathered in the Old City Hall courtroom Tuesday (May 31) let out an exasperated sigh after learning they will have to wait another month for the verdict in the case of G20 protestor Ryan Rainville.
Rainville, who has roots in the Sakimay nation and is an indigenous rights activist, was arrested last August for charges related to vandalism committed against three separate police cruisers during a Saturday protest on that fateful G20 weekend. He faces charges of obstructing a peace officer and assault with a weapon.
In her closing submission to the court, defence attorney Indira Stewart remarked that Rainville, who describes himself as an anarchist and says he’s not opposed to the destruction of property-as long as no harm is committed to human life- did not intend to engage in vandalism when he joined the marching protestors at Dundas and University. As he moved with the crowd headed southerly on University Avenue, eventually halting at Queen and Spadina, Rainville, in his testimony last month, claimed he saw a mob of protestors dressed in black swarm a police cruiser parked at the intersection. He says one of the men lunged on top of the car, stomping on the windshield.
At this point, Rainville claimed, he proceeded toward the vehicle, striking the passenger window twice with a flagpole that had been handed to him during the march. He says he only noticed Staff Sgt. Graham Queen inside, slumped low in the driver’s seat, after striking the vehicle.
Stewart insists that Rainville, who had no criminal record prior to his G20-related charges, would not have attacked the vehicle had he known that the officer was inside. She says he ensured the two police cruisers he approached later on that day were empty before smashing their windows with a hammer.
Rainville has been identified in various photos and videos attacking three separate police vehicles, though in the footage, his face in concealed by a black T-shirt. Photos taken of Rainville at various events in the days leading up to the G20 weekend were used to identify him by a G20 Investigative Unit.
Rainville, who currently resides in Waterloo, spent three months at Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton following his August arrest and was released into the Sagatay First Nations Bail Program in November. He was one of the eight people included on the infamous most wanted list Toronto Police released following the G20 summit.
Honourable Justice Mary L. Hogan is scheduled to render a verdict June 29.
