Woman charged with assault after “riots” in Liberal candidate’s office | The Canadian News

Ontario’s Sudbury Police Service has charged a woman with assault following a “disturbance” at the election campaign office of a Liberal candidate on Tuesday morning.

According to police, a woman entered the office of Marc Serré, head of Nickel Belt Liberal, at around 10 am and began yelling and acting “hostile.”

Officers said Serré was standing between a table and a wall when the woman pushed the table against the Liberal candidate, pinning him against the wall. When Serré began recording the incident with her phone, police allege that the woman began hitting Serré’s hands with her own phone.

Police said the woman was yelling at the Liberal incumbent and his staff, claiming that she had been injured by one of her election posters.

Officers said staff repeatedly asked the woman to leave, and she initially refused, though she eventually left the property. However, a short time later, Serré was driving away in his car when the woman jumped in front of him and began hitting the hood of the vehicle, screaming, police alleged.

Officers said the woman then tried to go to the campaign office again to collect the belongings she had left, even though the door was already closed, so she began kicking the door.

In response to the incident, the 56-year-old woman was charged with assault with a weapon.

On Tuesday afternoon, Serré issued a statement, saying that he, his staff and volunteers are safe.

“Political disagreements must be resolved at the polls, not with violence, aggression, harassment or intimidation, either in person or online,” said the Liberal candidate.

“I continue to believe in the good of the people of Nickel Belt, in the democratic process and in equal opportunities for all.”

Ontario Province Liberal Party leader Steven Del Duca said public discourse that turns into physical confrontation during the election campaign is “completely unacceptable.”

“(Marc Serré) is a kind man and a great public servant,” Del Duca said on Twitter. “My thoughts are with him and his team at this time.”

The 56-year-old woman was released with a court summons in November. His name cannot be released as the information has not yet been sworn through the court process.

There have been several incidents of vandalism and verbal altercations during the current federal election campaign.

Many signs have been smashed, and over the past weekend another Liberal candidate from Ontario said his car was defaced with illiberal messages.

Last week, police also arrested a man in connection with an incident in which gravel and small stones were thrown at Liberal leader Justin Trudeau during a layover in London, Ontario.