SASKATOON – A jury of five women and seven men have found far-right leader Travis Patron guilty of harassment of an off-duty police officer at Midtown Plaza in July 2023.
The officer – who had investigated and testified against Patron at his hate trial in September 2022 – told the court that he had feared for his safety and that of his girlfriend’s when Patron confronted them at Midtown Plaza in Saskatoon on July 20, 2023.
“I believe the Jury came to the right decision in law and thank them for their dedication to the case,” Saskatoon Senior Crown Prosecutor Lana Morelli told SASKTODAY.ca.
Patron, 31, has been in custody since his arrest Aug. 2, 2023. He is charged with harassment and impersonating a police officer in three separate incidents on July 20, July 29, and Aug. 1, 2023, in Saskatoon.
Court heard that on July 20, 2023, Patron followed the officer – who was off duty – and his girlfriend, in Midtown Plaza. Video evidence played in court showed Patron standing behind the couple going up the escalator and again going down the escalator. Another video showed Patron following them inside the mall without their knowledge. Patron confronted the officer at the mall saying, “Why are you with a Canadian woman?”
The officer was born in Iraq and came to Canada at age four, court heard.
During his trial, Patron took the stand on Tuesday and said, “I am the leader of the Canadian National Party.” He said that Elections Canada made a mistake de-registering the party.
Sentencing for Patron is scheduled for Feb. 2 in Saskatoon Court of King's Bench.
Patron’s other charges
Patron has two more trials scheduled later this year for two other incidents.
The first incident is alleged to have occurred on July 29, 2023. Saskatoon police were called to a hotel in the 600-block of Spadina Crescent about a disturbance involving a man impersonating a peace officer. Police say Patron approached a woman and her child, identified himself as a police officer, and accused her of abduction. The woman went into the hotel with her child to get help and Patron allegedly followed her inside and caused a disturbance. Bystanders intervened and Patron fled on foot, say Saskatoon police.
The second incident was on Aug. 1, 2023, in the 70-block of Campus Drive at the University of Saskatchewan. Police say they got a call that a man identified himself as a peace officer and offered to escort a woman on campus. The woman declined and the man left. The U of S released Patron’s photo and warned staff and students that he wasn’t to be on U of S property.
Police obtained video evidence and identified Patron as the suspect in both incidents.
This report by SASKTODAY first published on Jan.18, 2024.
