A Burlington, Ont., man is facing allegations of terrorism, after being charged with making online threats related to “incel ideology.”
On April 29, the 24-year-old was charged with two counts of uttering threats, under section 264.1 of the Criminal Code. The offences are alleged to constitute terrorist activity under the code, police said in the release.
The RCMP was unable to divulge details of the social media posts that prompted the charges, due to a publication ban.
One of the key principles of the ideology of incels, or “involuntary celibates,” as the court found in R. v. O.S. in 2023, is a misogynistic attitude that celebrates violence toward women.
The Court concluded that the incel culture falls within the description of “ideological” for the purposes of s.83.01 of the Criminal Code, which defines a “terrorist group.”
“With limited information, the RCMP [Federal Policing Integrated National Security Enforcement Team in the Greater Toronto Area] and Criminal Analyst Section were able to identify and swiftly prevent a threat to public safety,” said Supt. James Parr in this week’s release.
Terrorist proceedings began on June 21, the release said, after the deputy director of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada and the assistant deputy attorney general for the Ministry of the Attorney General advised the court that they consented.
The Burlington man was scheduled to appear in Ontario Superior Court in Milton Friday afternoon.