The man believed to be caught on video kicking a pro-life activist Wednesday in Toronto has lost his job and was arrested and charged with assault Saturday. CTV News reports that Toronto police have charged Jordan Hunt, 26, of Toronto with eight counts of assault and seven counts of mischief,
Many on social media identified local hairdresser Hunt as the man in the video that went viral after Campaign Life Coalition volunteer Marie-Claire Bissonnette was kicked in the shoulder.
Bissonnette, 27, told the Toronto Sun that she protests Canada’s unrestricted abortion law every year at the same location. She said the assault caused her pain but did not harm her phone.
“He kicked me in the shoulder, my phone went flying,” Bissonnette told the Sun. “I start shouting for someone to call police and before he runs away, he goes up to me and I had a ribbon on my jacket indicating the leader, he tore it off my chest.”
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Bissonnette’s attacker also allegedly wrote all over some of the pro-life signs before approaching her.
Toronto Police Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook told the Sun that an investigation into the incident is proceeding but so far no one has been arrested. She said the police have received many tips from people who saw the video and say they know who committed the alleged assault.
Hunt’s employer fired him, explaining on Instagram, “It has been brought to our attention that Jordan Hunt has been caught on camera assaulting an innocent bystander at a pro-life rally. We don’t condone his actions and he has been let go. We believe that everyone has a right to an opinion and the right to voice their opinion without fear of physical violence.”