J-Source

Trespass charge against Star reporter dropped

Trespassing charges against Alex Consiglio, the Toronto Star reporter arrested in June after photographing a scuffle on a platform at Toronto Union Station, have been dropped, the Star reported Friday.  By Grant Buckler Trespassing charges against Alex Consiglio, the Toronto Star reporter arrested in June after photographing a scuffle on a platform at Toronto Union…

Trespassing charges against Alex Consiglio, the Toronto Star reporter arrested in June after photographing a scuffle on a platform at Toronto Union Station, have been dropped, the Star reported Friday.
 

By Grant Buckler

Trespassing charges against Alex Consiglio, the Toronto Star reporter arrested in June after photographing a scuffle on a platform at Toronto Union Station, have been dropped, the Star reported Friday.

The Star reported in June that Toronto police arrested Consiglio, put him in a headlock and handcuffed him for taking pictures after a GO Transit officer was injured in a scuffle at Union Station,

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As J-Source also reported, Consiglio was released after being placed in the back of a police cruiser, but given a  $65 ticket for trespassing. His camera equipment and phone were initially confiscated, though they were returned when police released him.


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According to the Star report, Consiglio was arrested after taking a photo of the injured officer – who had a broken ankle – being put into an ambulance on the street outside the station, though he had earlier taken a photo on a station platform and then left the area when asked to do so.
 

Grant Buckler is a retired freelance journalist and a volunteer with Canadian Journalists for Free Expression and lives in Kingston, Ont.