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Woman accused of leading violent G20 protests faces new charge
By Linda Nguyen
TORONTO — An additional mischief charge was laid on Tuesday against a young woman accused of being one of the ringleaders of violent G20 protests in Toronto this summer that saw police cars torched and numerous businesses vandalized.
Kelly Rose Pflug-Back, 21, of Norwood, Ont., was told during a scheduled bail hearing in a downtown Toronto courtroom Tuesday that she now faces seven counts of mischief over $5,000. The University of Guelph student, wearing a tattered jean miniskirt and a long grey sweater, appeared stone-faced throughout the daylong proceedings.
Pflug-Back is accused of trashing a number of downtown businesses, including an Urban Outfitters, a CIBC bank and a McDonald’s restaurant. She has also been referred to as one of the organizers who used anarchist “Black Bloc” tactics, in which members dress in black with their faces concealed behind handkerchiefs to prevent police from knowing their identities.
The group has been blamed for at least $250,000 in damages sustained by businesses in the downtown core.
About 20 supporters showed up at the court proceedings Tuesday, occasionally scoffing at evidence that was presented by the Crown. Pflug-Back’s parents, Douglas Back and Ursula Pflug, sat in the front row of the courtroom.
A temporary publication ban has been placed on evidence presented at the proceedings. A decision on whether the accused will be released on bail was not expected until Thursday.
The young activist has been held in police custody since last month after turning herself in to police in Peterborough, Ont., when a warrant was issued for her arrest. Pflug-Back was earlier arrested on mischief and conspiracy charges during the G20 Summit but was released to her parents on $20,000 bail with strict conditions attached.
Last December, she was also charged with assault and mischief on for allegedly pushing a torchbearer carrying the Olympic flame through Guelph, Ont.
Toronto police Det. Sgt. Gary Giroux, who heads the G20 investigation, said the additional mischief charge is a result of more evidence police were able to obtain through video surveillance and photographs.
“She’s one of the most significant offenders that we have so far in the investigation and the Crown’s efforts today is to have her detained,”he said outside the courtroom.
Sgt. Giroux said police have approximately 20,000 images to go through.
Meanwhile, two more arrests related to the G20 Summit were executed Tuesday. A Toronto man who was previously charged and released was re-arrested for breaching his bail conditions and a man from Windsor, Ont., was arrested as a result of new evidence being brought forth alleging his involvement in the burning of a police car that weekend.
Toronto police arrested more than 1,000 people on G20-related charges.
Source: http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/08/10/woman-accused-of-leading-violent-g20-protests-faces-new-charge/