Trudeau Called to Testify in Court on Gravel-Throwing Incident During 2021 Campaign

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is escorted by his RCMP security detail as protesters shout and throw gravel during a campaign stop at a local micro brewery in London, Ont., on Sept. 6, 2021. Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been reportedly served with a subpoena to testify in court in relation to a protest in which pebbles were thrown at him during his 2021 campaign tour in London, Ontario.

London police had charged the 25-year-old suspect, Shane Marshall, with one count of assault with a weapon for reportedly throwing gravel at Trudeau on Sept. 6, 2021. Marshall, who was president of the People’s Party of Canada’s Elgin Middlesex London riding, was relieved of his position after the alleged incident.

Defence lawyer Phillip Millar told CBC News that it’s “unbelievably rare” that in a criminal case such as this one, the person who has been allegedly assaulted wasn’t already called on to testify.

“In every prosecution of this type, the complainant or victim would be a witness and testify as to what happened,” he said in an interview with CBC News. “For the assault to be established in law, the person on the receiving end of it has to know it’s happening.”

Two Versions

Video footage showed that as Trudeau was boarding his campaign bus, some small pieces of gravel appeared to come flying his way from behind, where a large crowd was gathering in protest, with some yelling insults.

Court documents obtained by CBC said Trudeau has given two different versions of what happened that day in regard to whether he was struck by the gravel.

In one version, the document said, “Immediately while aboard the bus, the PM told reporters that he ’might have‘ been struck, but seemed unsure if any pebbles had hit him. When challenged on whether anything had hit him, the PM replied, ’Does it matter?'”

The subpoena goes on to say that “in subsequent recordings, the PM states with certainty that he had in fact been struck by gravel,” reported CBC.

Millar said he would be cross-examining Trudeau on the two conflicting accounts of the incident, CBC reported.

The trial date is scheduled for March 7, 2023.

During Trudeau’s 2021 campaign tour, he was met with protesters at a number of campaign stops, many of whom opposed his COVID-19 pandemic measures, including vaccine passports. The prime minister condemned the “angry mob” after he was hit by the gravel.