Canadian Police arrest man for online threats against PM Trudeau

In a statement on Wednesday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or RCMP said, “This individual had allegedly posted an on-line video making violent threats towards the Prime Minister, the Police and any security personnel who might attempt to interfere with his plans.”

RCMP Federal Police arrested Dawid Zalewski, of no fixed address, and charged him with two counts of Uttering Threats.

RCMP Federal Policing’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team or INSET in the Greater Toronto Area or GTA opened an investigation to identify and locate the person responsible and defuse the risk as quickly as possible, after receiving the information about the threats.

The RCMP said, “Threats to our national security can come in many forms and Canada is not immune. We are aware of the heightened security environment for public officials and the danger this presents for all Canadians.”

RCMP was assisted by York Regional Police in making the arrest.

“The RCMP GTA INSET and York Regional Police were able to swiftly locate and arrest this individual, resulting in the reduced risk to the Prime Minister, other police officers, and to the public,” Superintendent James Parr, Officer-in-Charge of GTA/SW INSET, said.

On July 22, RCMP announced that two persons had been arrested in connection with online death threats targeting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

On June 6, 2024, 23-year-old Mason John Baker, 23, a resident of Calgary in Alberta, was charged with uttering threats. On May 10, 2024, INSET had received information that a user of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, had allegedly posted threats to kill Trudeau, the release stated.

On June 13, 67-year-old Garry Belzevick, 67, a resident of Edmonton, was arrested for allegedly uttering similar threats against Trudeau. Those alleged threats, in a YouTube post that INSET learnt about on June 7, were directed not just at Trudeau but also Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh.

“In the digital age, where so many interactions occur online and are perceived to be anonymous, there is a belief that virtual actions and words do not have consequences. When these virtual actions or words cross the boundaries of Charter-protected speech and constitute criminal activity, police will investigate thoroughly to hold those responsible accountable,” Inspector Matthew Johnson, Acting Officer in Charge of RCMP Federal Policing INSET, Northwest Region, said at the time.