No record for assaulting Philippe Couillard

Archival Photo, QMI Agency
Esteban Torres Wicttorff had quickly been overpowered by the authorities when it has launched a small object on the prime minister, at a rally in June 2016.

Michael Nguyen

Friday, 20 October 2017 21:27

UPDATE
Friday, 20 October 2017 21:27

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The young transgender who had thrown an object at the prime minister Philippe Couillard during a gathering of the LGBT community came out of it without a criminal record, Friday.

“A criminal record would only exacerbate the difficulties without bringing anything more to the community,” commented judge Daniel Bédard.

Esteban Torres Wicttorff, 21, had assaulted the prime minister in June 2016, a few days after the massacre in a club gay in Orlando that had 50 people dead, including the assailant. The personalities were expressed, including the prime minister of Quebec.

When the latter had mentioned that Montreal is an inclusive city, Torres Wicttorff became angry and threw an object in the direction of the prime minister. The accused swears that he is a ball of paper, but the police has not been able to corroborate this version.

“Any disagreement with the vision of a person who is elected may not translate by way of done […] just because this way of responding is not acceptable in the eyes of the canadian population,” commented the magistrate.

Democracy

The judge noted that the assault, even if she did not have any physical consequence on the head of the government, had been committed in a political context. “If it is, as argued by the prosecution, a direct violation of democracy, this violation is not of a magnitude […] that undermines or puts at risk the stability of the political regime in place,” explained the judge.

The gesture of Torres Wicttorff remains nevertheless “humiliating and degrading” for the person who has suffered, he added.

“A person elected by a majority of the citizens must be able to express themselves on the public place without any hindrance of a criminal nature, explained the judge. Especially when it comes to the prime minister, the first person among the elect. “

Conditions

Torres Wicttorff has received the conditional discharge. This means that, to avoid a criminal record, they must comply with several conditions.

For 18 months, the young transgender will have to comply with a probation prohibiting him from, among others, to participate in any gathering, ” which aims to denounce, claim or protest “.

He must perform 100 hours of community work and submit, if his probation officer requests him to do so, evidence of medical follow up regarding his disorder of attention deficit.

Friday, Torres Wicttorff did not wish to comment on. Once he has finished his probation, he will have to wait three years to ensure that the folder to be deleted.

“It is not clear what the accused did, at least not for the next three years,” concluded the judge.

Me Arij Riahi the defense called for an absolute discharge, while the Crown prosecutor, Amélie Rivard, suggested a suspended sentence.