A judge in Canada has decided to lift the middle finger as part of a person’s right to freedom of expression. Pictures/Illustrations
In a 26-page decision, Judge Dennis Galiatsatos of the French-speaking province of Quebec dismissed the case against a man accused of harassing his neighbor in suburban Montreal.
“To be clear, giving someone the (middle) finger is not a crime,” he said in a decision dated February 24.
“Reversing the saying of the bird is a God-given, Charter right to which every red-blooded Canadian belongs,” he added, referring to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The gardiansFriday (03/10/2023).
The defendant, Neall Epstein, a teacher and father of two, was arrested by police in May 2021 for threatening and defrauding his neighbors in Beaconsfield, Quebec.
“The gesture may be rude, may be rude, may be rude… however, it does not attract criminal liability,” Galiatsatos said.
Galiatsatos added that despite the common colloquialism, “cases don’t really get thrown out,” but in those cases the courts tend to take the case and throw it out the window.
“Unfortunately, the courtroom at the Montreal courthouse has no windows,” he said.
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