After having reporters harassed, beaten, Trudeau decries ‘harassment of journalists’

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week condemned the harassment of journalists, despite his own notoriety in attacking journalists who politically oppose the regime. 

“The pattern of harassment of journalists is incredibly alarming and completely unacceptable,” the prime minister tweeted Thursday. “This type of behaviour has no place in our society. No journalist should ever be threatened for doing their job.” 

In February, America’s Frontline News reported that journalist Alex Lavoie from Rebel News was beaten by Trudeau’s forces and shot in her leg with a gas canister while reporting on the peaceful Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa. 

One policeman beat Alexa three times with a club and then shot a gas canister at her leg at point blank range, an incident which was caught on video.  

In December, another reporter from Rebel News named David Menzies was attacked by Trudeau’s personal bodyguards as he was standing near a street corner. 

Trudeau appears to have a vendetta against Rebel News, one of the few news outlets in Canada that is not state-sponsored and remains critical of Trudeau.   

Last year, during the 2021 election debates, Trudeau publicly made his feelings about Rebel News clear. 

“The reality is, organizations – organizations like yours – that continue to spread misinformation and disinformation on the science around vaccines … is part of why we’re seeing such unfortunate anger and lack of understanding of basic science,” said Trudeau. “Frankly your – I won’t call it a media organization – your group of individuals need to take accountability for some of the polarization that we’re seeing in this country.”  

The next night, Alexa posed a public question to Trudeau.  

“Hello Mr. Trudeau, Alexa for Rebel News. I will remind you what happened last night, you demonized one of the few media outlets that are not state-sponsored. You have said that we are spreading misinformation. If that were the case, the federal court would not have sided with us that we can be here today.”  

Alexa was referring to a federal court ruling to allow Rebel News to cover the debates. The news outlet had been banned by the Leaders’ Debates Commission.  

“This is my question,” continued Alexa. “Israel is the most vaccinated country in the world. They are now at four boosters and the double vaccinated are not recognized as fully vaccinated. My question is, lots of Canadians don’t want another booster. Will you take away their vaccine passport privileges? Would you have the courtesy as prime minister to answer the question or will you demonize us again?”  

“I have made my opinion on your organization clear yesterday,” Trudeau responded. “And I will not be commenting on your question.”  

But Trudeau’s own state-sponsored journalists appear to have been given carte-blanche to harass political dissenters, as evidenced in February after a list of Freedom Convoy donors was illegally hacked. Journalists from CBC and CTV News combed through the list and began harassing the donors privately demanding they explain themselves.  

“Have spent the last two days calling local people who have donated to the trucker convoy. Including a former MP, several business owners, health care professionals and a property developer,” tweeted CTV Ottawa Chief Anchor Graham Richardson. “Trying to understand why they support this. Very few calls back #ottnews #OccupiedOttawa.”  

Last month, The Counter Signal reported that journalists were threatened with police action if they dared pose a question to Trudeau during a photo-op.