An assault charge has been laid against one of two people arrested over the weekend during a rally outside City Hall by the group PEGIDA Canada, police said Monday.
The demonstration on Saturday by the Canadian chapter of the German nationalist political movement Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West, or PEGIDA, saw around 100 people in attendance, including both protesters and counter-protesters, according to a police estimate.
During the rally, police say two violent incidents occurred that resulted in two people being taken into custody. Few other details have been released.
“With regards to those two individuals, one has since been charged criminally with assault, and the other is not facing charges at this time,” said London police Const. Sandasha Bough.
Police have not released any information about the accused, saying the man is awaiting a summons to appear in court. They have only been identified as a 24-year-old London man.
It’s the second rally PEGIDA Canada has held in London in the last month.
An estimated 500 people amassed outside City Hall on Aug. 26 to take part in, and protest against, a similar demonstration by the anti-Islam group. Two people were taken into police custody during that demonstration.
PEGIDA Canada also held a rally outside City Hall in late July. No arrests were reported.
– With files from Matthew Trevithick, Christian D’Avino, Victor Young
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