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MONTREAL -- An anti-feminist blogger who is accused of inciting hatred towards women and glorifying the gunman responsible for the Polytechnique massacre was granted bail in a Montreal courtroom Monday.
Jean-Claude Rochefort, 70, must abide by a long list of conditions, including living in one place, disconnecting from the internet, not communicating with anyone who has anti-feminist ideas, speaking to anti-feminist groups or publishing anti-feminist writings.
"What I understand is that the judge was satisfied that with serious conditions, the public would be safe with those conditions," said Crown prosecutor Josiane Laplante. "This is the decision of the court and we will respect it."
Last Thursday, he insisted on taking the stand, despite strong words from both his lawyer and the judge.
“If we speak out against feminism, we go to jail,” he said, insisting he’s a prisoner of conscience as he offered up $200 to post bail. "All my life, I was afraid of the feminist power, there is always this fear of the Quebec man to lose our jobs, our privileges."
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Prosecutors opposed bail for the blogger, saying he glorified the gunman behind Montreal's 1989 École Polytechnique killings, calling it one of the worst examples in recent memory of inciting hatred.
The judge ruled that a psychiatric evaluation wasn’t necessary as Rochefort “knows what he’s doing.”
The blogger was arrested by Montreal police at his home in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Polytechnique massacre.
Officers say during his arrest, several incriminating computer files and equipment were seized.
In the past, Rochefort has written favourably about the Polytechnique shooter in a number of blogs, under several pseudonyms.
In one post, he refers to the killer as an "incel lord," a reference to the online subculture of "involuntarily celibate" men whose online discussions focus on anti-feminism, misogyny and endorsing sexual violence against women.
Rochefort has written men should not live with women, that they should be "exiled" and that they should be "assassinated if they refuse." He referred to feminism as a "cancer," adding that "every woman is a potential enemy."
He was accused of similar charges in 2009 and says he still harbours anger towards the justice system for detaining him without trial.
-- with files from CTV News Montreal's Amy Luft and Stéphane Giroux.
Jean-Claude Rochefort, 70, must abide by a long list of conditions, including living in one place, disconnecting from the internet, not communicating with anyone who has anti-feminist ideas, speaking to anti-feminist groups or publishing anti-feminist writings.
"What I understand is that the judge was satisfied that with serious conditions, the public would be safe with those conditions," said Crown prosecutor Josiane Laplante. "This is the decision of the court and we will respect it."
Last Thursday, he insisted on taking the stand, despite strong words from both his lawyer and the judge.
“If we speak out against feminism, we go to jail,” he said, insisting he’s a prisoner of conscience as he offered up $200 to post bail. "All my life, I was afraid of the feminist power, there is always this fear of the Quebec man to lose our jobs, our privileges."
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- Quebec MNA who voiced violent messages to women politicians files official police complaint
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- Montreal police arrest blogger alleged to have glorified Polytechnique mass murderer
- Anti-feminist blogger Jean-Claude Rochefort back in court for bail hearing
Prosecutors opposed bail for the blogger, saying he glorified the gunman behind Montreal's 1989 École Polytechnique killings, calling it one of the worst examples in recent memory of inciting hatred.
The judge ruled that a psychiatric evaluation wasn’t necessary as Rochefort “knows what he’s doing.”
The blogger was arrested by Montreal police at his home in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Polytechnique massacre.
Officers say during his arrest, several incriminating computer files and equipment were seized.
In the past, Rochefort has written favourably about the Polytechnique shooter in a number of blogs, under several pseudonyms.
In one post, he refers to the killer as an "incel lord," a reference to the online subculture of "involuntarily celibate" men whose online discussions focus on anti-feminism, misogyny and endorsing sexual violence against women.
Rochefort has written men should not live with women, that they should be "exiled" and that they should be "assassinated if they refuse." He referred to feminism as a "cancer," adding that "every woman is a potential enemy."
He was accused of similar charges in 2009 and says he still harbours anger towards the justice system for detaining him without trial.
-- with files from CTV News Montreal's Amy Luft and Stéphane Giroux.
