Community organizer, Erik Lankin, who has been charged with offences related to the G20 Summit protests in late June, 2010, is still in jail.
Emphasis on the word "still" since it's been six weeks since he was arrested and charged with conspiracy around his alleged involvement in organizing the G20 Summit protest in Toronto. Lankin was arrested in an early morning police round up of activists during the night on June 26, 2010.
He is currently awaiting an appeal to an earlier negative bail hearing decision at the Maplehurst jail.
It is worthy here to note here that co-accused Leah Henderson and Alex Hundert, who were both recently released on bail July 19, 2010, are facing a Crown appeal of their court ordered release.
Bail and surety costs for both equal $140,000 and they are under house arrest with strict bail conditions. Henderson and Hundert will be back in court on August 19, 2010.
Amanda Hiscocks, another co-accused, was released on bail on July 27, 2010, after spending a month at the Vanier Centre for Women prison.
Erik Lankin's supporters are concerned with the amount of time he has spent in jail, equating it to the criminalization of activism.
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According to Gary Kinsman, a Professor at Laurentian University, "This continued detention and politically-motivated charge is setting a dangerous precedent in the intensifying criminalization of dissent and political speech since the G/20 protest. This is an attempt to intimidate and harass and is a serious assault on freedom of expression and the right to assemble."
