'Batman and Robin' on trial for fathers' protest at Montreal bridge

**outdoors** · 9th-December-2008

'Batman and Robin' on trial for fathers' protest at Montreal bridge

'Batman and Robin' on trial for fathers' protest at Montreal bridge

Last Updated: Monday, December 8, 2008 | 4:03 PM ET Comments15 Recommend16

CBC News

The demonstrator climbed the Jacques Cartier Bridge on May 23, 2005, causing police to shut down traffic. (CBC) A trial continued Monday for two men accused of dressing up as Batman and Robin and causing lengthy traffic delays on Montreal's Jacques Cartier Bridge 3½ years ago.
Gilles Dumas and Benoît Leroux were arrested on the holiday Monday of the May long weekend in 2005.
They have pleaded not guilty to charges of mischief and conspiracy.
Police Const. Martin Desmarais testified on the second day of the trial Monday that when he arrived on the scene a man dressed as Batman's sidekick Robin had climbed at least 20 metres up the side supports of the bridge, while "Batman" remained below.
Desmarais said a banner in support of Fathers 4 Justice was attached to the bridge, which is a main route for commuters coming to work on Montreal Island.
As public safety was at risk, he said, police shut down the bridge, holding up traffic for several hours.
Outside the Montreal courtroom on Monday, Leroux said he and Dumas will mount a "necessity" defence on behalf of men who can't persuade divorce judges to let them visit their children.
Leroux said climbing the bridge was the only way to draw media attention to the problem.
Const. Desmarais said Leroux was 100 per cent co-operative when he was taken into custody.
Both Leroux and Dumas are defending themselves in court.
Fathers 4 Justice is the Canadian arm of a British group of the same name.
The Canadian group's website says it aims to "expose the injustice that the family law industry has become in this country with a series of high-profile stunts and actions."
It says the family courts are biased against fathers and systematically remove the rights of one parent — usually the father — to be involved in their children's lives after a divorce.

**outdoors** · 9th-December-2008

please feel free to add your comment

**Marx** · 9th-December-2008

"As public safety was at risk, he said, police shut down the bridge, holding up traffic for several hours."

Or rather, the police shutdown the bridge to anger civilians and try to blacken the name of F4J (more than it already is).

**Percy** · 9th-December-2008

Men like this are wonderful messengers and a model for action. More praise to them.

**Stan** · 9th-December-2008

BTW many groups that try to help men are blacklisted on this Hotel computer I am on right now. So far I have not come across ANY feminist or women's rights advocate URLs that are blocked. There must be some though I'd think.

For example:

Web Page Blocked

You have tried to access a web page which is in violation of your internet usage policy.

URL: www.fathers-4-justice.us/
Category: Advocacy Organizations

**Marx** · 9th-December-2008

Quote from Stan

BTW many groups that try to help men are blacklisted on this Hotel computer I am on right now. So far I have not come across ANY feminist or women's rights advocate URLs that are blocked. There must be some though I'd think.

For example:

Web Page Blocked

You have tried to access a web page which is in violation of your internet usage policy.

URL: www.fathers-4-justice.us/
Category: Advocacy Organizations

Didn't you mention this just days ago, and were offered some advice about it?

I can't find it right now, but I'm sure Percy and perhaps outdoors offered some ideas on combatting this.

**Stan** · 9th-December-2008

Quote from Marx

Didn't you mention this just days ago, and were offered some advice about it?

I can't find it right now, but I'm sure Percy and perhaps outdoors offered some ideas on combatting this.

That's a screen shot from an hour or so ago. URLs get screened all the time at this place.

I can get there, to such sites, if I need to or want to that is not the issue. The point is that I seem to see a lot of filtering of men type sites that do have have porn or whatever going on. I generally do not seem to see the degree of filtration going on for mainstream politically correct man bashing or feminist type sites. Many of which are way more partisan than something like a F4J site.

Maybe feminists tag such URLs in their spare time, the ones they do not want other people to see, who knows?

**shaazam** · 9th-December-2008

men all over the world are starting to demonstrate against the mindless feminit juggernaut

**Percy** · 9th-December-2008

Stan, my man, what's the name and address and email address of the Hotel?

I think they could do with some fan mail.

**Celtic Druid** · 9th-December-2008

Quote from Marx

"As public safety was at risk, he said, police shut down the bridge, holding up traffic for several hours."

Or rather, the police shutdown the bridge to anger civilians and try to blacken the name of F4J (more than it already is).

I've often thought this to be a reason why they undertake such 'unecessary' measures.

Good luck with these Canadian F4J members in their quest to raise some attention to the plight of seperated Canadian fathers.