The RCMP have arrested a Canadian man for allegedly uttering threats towards Prime Minister Justin Trudeau online.
According to a news release on Wednesday, the individual had allegedly posted a video online making violent threats towards the prime minister, the police and any security personnel who might attempt to interfere with his plans.
The RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) received this information and opened an investigation to identify and locate the person responsible and defuse the risk as quickly as possible.
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Authorities arrested 33-year-old Dawid Zalewski, of no fixed address, and charged him with two counts of Uttering Threats, under Sec. 264.1(1), of the Criminal Code.
“The RCMP GTA INSET and York Regional Police were able to swiftly locate and arrest this individual, resulting in the reduced risk to the prime minister, other police officers, and to the public,” said Supt. James Parr, Officer-in-Charge, GTA/SW INSET, in a statement.
This isn’t the first time this year someone has been charged with allegedly threatening Trudeau.
In February, RCMP laid charges against Paul Clarissou in connection with threats posted on X.
Police said this step was the result of a brief investigation by the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team following a report that the 30-year-old had made threatening comments.
In 2018, Orion Rutley of Alberta was charged with two counts of uttering threats, as he allegedly tweeted posts that targeted Trudeau and Rachel Notley, the premier of Alberta at the time.
The following year, a Saskatchewan man faced charges after police were made aware of a threatening phone conversation he had with an employee at a Canadian government agency.
“During the telephone call, an adult male threatened he would shoot Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and would blow up the Parliament buildings,” police said.
This comes a couple of weeks after the prime minister’s family vacation in BC was disrupted by a right-wing reporter.