Mischief charge dropped against London doctor who sprayed ketchup on MP's office

Nearly a year ago, Loubani was arrested and charged with mischief for spraying ketchup on the exterior of Member of Parliament Peter Fragiskatos’ office. He spent a night at the holding cells inside London Police Service Headquarters.

Inside a London courtroom Tuesday, a mischief charge against London physician Dr. Tarek Loubani was dropped.

“We knew that we were going to win this case, we were ready to fight this case straight to the end,” said Loubani, speaking with CTV News outside the courthouse on Dundas Street in London, Ont.

Nearly a year ago, Loubani, who also teaches at Western University, was arrested and charged with mischief, for spraying ketchup on the exterior of Member of Parliament Peter Fragiskatos’ office — he spent a night at the holding cells inside London Police Service Headquarters.

“What I was doing when I sprayed ketchup during this protest against genocide is a constitutionally protected right,” said Loubani.

His counsel Arash Ghiassi and Riaz Sayani, sent a statement to CTV News, in part it reads, “Members of the public have the constitutional right to protest against their elected officials. Had the charge not been withdrawn, we would have defended the case at trial on this basis, as well as on the merits.”

Loubani said they’ve been asking Fragiskatos to take a strong position against an “act of genocide.”

“He has said nothing in approximately a year. And when he did say something in December of 2023, it was to Palestinians for their own genocide,” added Loubani.