A Toronto man who was arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest last December is no longer facing charges and says police used excessive force when taking him into custody.
Adam Melanson was charged with assault and obstructing a police officer after attending the protest on Dec. 10, 2023. On Tuesday, Melanson and his lawyer, Shane Martinez, said the charges against him had been withdrawn.
At a news conference outside the Ontario Court of Justice on Armoury Street, Melanson spoke out about his experience and denied he was resisting arrest.
A video of the incident shared with CBC Toronto appears to show one officer holding down Melanson, who was face-down on the ground, while another officer placed a knee on the man’s neck for approximately eight seconds before removing it.
“Although I did not resist arrest in any way, multiple officers used force against me.”
WARNING: This video contains graphic footage. Video shared with CBC Toronto appears to show an officer holding down a protester lying face down on the ground, while another officer places a knee on his neck. The man, Adam Melanson, was arrested and charged with assault at a pro-Palestinian protest last December. On Tuesday, Melanson and his lawyer said the charges against him had been withdrawn.
Melanson said he was attending the protest with his wife when she was knocked over by a police officer. He said he was arrested after he attempted to intervene “in what I perceived to be an assault on her.”
Melanson said police hit him repeatedly and that one officer put a knee on his neck while he was being handcuffed.
He added that he was not resisting arrest and feels vindicated now that the charges have been dropped.
“My wife and I did nothing wrong. People have a right to protest, and a right to stand in solidarity with Palestine,” he said.
Asked about Melanson’s claim that officers used excessive force against him, Toronto police referred CBC Toronto to their statement last December in which they refuted the allegations.
“On review of available footage of this matter, we maintain that the officer did not place his knee on the suspect’s neck,” Stephanie Sayer, a spokesperson for the force, said in an email at the time.
On Tuesday, Sayer said the charges against Melanson were withdrawn after he fulfilled specific conditions outlined by the Crown, including completing a course in non-violent communication, a donation to charity and doing several hours of community service.
“Our officers face significant risks every day as they carry out their duty to protect the public, and any actions that jeopardize their safety are unacceptable,” Sayer said.