Crown Drops All Remaining Covid Charges Against Pastor Aaron Rock in Waterloo
WATERLOO, ON– The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is pleased to announce that the Crown stayed three charges against Pastor Aaron Rock relating to a May 2021 protest in Waterloo on April 30, 2023. Earlier this year, the Crown had dropped three other Covid-related charges against Pastor Rock.
In April 2021, Ontario implemented Regulation 253/21 (“Stay-at-Home Order”) following a declaration of emergency in response to Covid-19. The Order effectively banned any form of peaceful protest, even if it occurred outdoors. Ontario had previously implemented Regulation 82/20 (“Rules for Areas in Stage 1”) which limited outdoor gatherings to 10 persons.
Pastor Rock was alleged to have attended an outdoor protest on May 30, 2021, at the Town Square in Waterloo, contrary to both of the Regulations. If he were to have been convicted of all the offenses for which he was charged, the maximum fine would have been $300,000.