The RCMP Integrated Security Unit says the arrest of a man carrying a crossbow and other dangerous items in his car in downtown Toronto Thursday was not related to the G20 summit.
Constable April Dequanne said the 53-year-old man's arrest "was not believed to be" related to the upcoming summit, but the investigation would continue. Police do not believe the man was targeting a nearby picket line of striking hotel workers either.
Gary McCullough, 53, of Whitby, Ont., has been charged with one count of weapons dangerous and he'll appear in court on Friday at 2 p.m.
The case is "not a concern of the ISU," said Constable Tony Vella.
Mr. McCullough was arrested after a car containing a cache of equipment in a makeshift storage container, including a crossbow and chainsaw, was stopped near the G20 security zone in Toronto.
The arrest occurred around 12:30 p.m. near Scott Street and The Esplanade.
The driver of the silver Hyundai was taken by police to the temporary holding facility on Eastern Avenue constructed in advance of the G20. More than 25 officers remained at the scene, and the street was cordoned off with yellow police tape.
Police arrest a man after a car carrying industrial equipment and a crossbow was stopped near the G20 summit security perimeter in Toronto on June 24, 2010.— Bill McIntosh for The Globe and Mail
The car, a four-door 2006 Hyundai GTL, has Ontario license plates, and a bumper tied on with string. On top of the car sat a homemade storage container fashioned from sheet metal. Police said some weapons were visible when they looked in the car, and they eventually removed a crossbow, five arrows, a sledgehammer, a pickaxe, a chainsaw, and a baseball bat.
A gasoline canister, cola bottle and water container were tested by the hazardous materials team, but the substances inside were deemed harmless.
A scruffy white dog was also in the car at the time of the arrest.
At the scene, Constable Hugh Smith of Toronto Police Services said the driver appeared disoriented when answering police questions.
He was pulled over when he drove into the area because of the appearance of his vehicle.
Hazardous materials team take samples on scene.— Kate Allen/The Globe and Mail
The arrest came as 80 workers from the nearby Novotel Toronto Centre picketed outside the hotel, after walking off the job early Thursday. The striking employees began picketing the building just after 6:30 a.m., and their numbers were expected to swell as they are joined by other labour rights groups in town for the G20 summit.
Television images showed emergency responders on scene outside the Novotel. In addition to housing a hotel, the same complex also has condominium apartments.
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