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Conspiracy charges dropped against G20 protester
By JENNY YUEN
A woman accused of organizing mobilizations during the G20 had her charges dropped Monday morning in court.
Jaroslava Avila, a 23-year-old University of Toronto political science student – described as a ringleader – faced three charges of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. She began crying after she left the courtroom, hugging her mother.
“I’m feeling mixed feelings right now because this entire process has been incredibly painful for me and for the rest of the people going through this process,” Avila said outside of Finch West court.
“Hopefully, all their charges will be dropped. We’re all social organizers in this movement and nothing justifies what they did to us over these past six months.”
Avila is one of the 19 people who faced conspiracy charges. She was arrested by 10 police officers on Sept. 29 after a healthcare protest on campus.
She has been under strict conditions of house arrest, including no access to wireless devices, and a no public demonstration claus.
“The gag is off,” she said. “What the police and government have done to us has no name.”
Crown attorney Jason Miller said the decision was made last week to drop the charges because “based on the evidence, there was no reasonable prospect of conviction.”
Justice Paul French ordered the 18 co-accused back to court on Jan. 31 at 9 a.m. for preliminary enquiries.
Source: http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2010/12/20/16618751.html