G20 activist pleads guilty to urging people to tear down security fence

TORONTO – Montreal activist Jaggi Singh has pleaded guilty to urging people to tear down a security fence during last year’s G20 summit.

Singh had been facing conspiracy charges but they have been withdrawn by the Crown after he pleaded guilty to counselling to commit mischief over $5,000.

Singh is a community organizer with the Anti-Capitalist Convergence as well as the group No One Is Illegal-Montreal.

The Crown is calling for a six-month sentence while Singh’s lawyer is arguing for a much lesser penalty. Sentencing arguments are continuing today and supporters say a ruling is expected June 12.

A release from Singh’s supporters says as part of his plea agreement, Singh will not be called as a witness in any G20-related cases or offer any apologies for his actions and words.

The release says the agreement also stipulates that Singh’s plea can’t be used by the Crown in any other G20 prosecutions and that he will not co-operate with the Crown or the police.

Of the more than 1,000 people arrested during the G20 summit in Toronto, only a handful of charges remain. Many of those arrested were never charged, and the months since have seen hundreds of charges dropped.