- Thanks to two arguing neighbors, Canadians are now free to flip the bird.
Canadians are known for being polite and considerate. They’re the last people you’d expect to flip the bird at you.
But if you happen to anger them, they can now legally give you the finger. At least in their own country.
Actually, according to a recent 26-page ruling, doing so is not just legal. Judge Dennis Galiatsatos determined that it is something all Canadians are entitled to.
“To be abundantly clear, it is not a crime to give someone the finger. Flipping the proverbial bird is a God-given, Charter-enshrined right that belongs to every red-blooded Canadian,” Galiatsatos said in the ruling.
“It may not be civil, it may not be polite, it may not be gentlemanly. Nevertheless, it does not trigger criminal liability.”
Judge Galiatsatos also ordered his fellow Canadians to be more thick-skinned — particularly when they’re engaging in behavior that might raise someone’s middle finger.
“Being told to ‘f*** off’ should not prompt a call to 911,” he summarized.
Oh, How the Tables Turn
But why was a judge asked to determine whether giving someone the finger is legal? Well, we can thank two bad neighbors for that.
One of them might just be worse than the other, though.
Michael Naccache and Neall Epstein are neighbors from Beaconsfield, Quebec. They don’t like each other very much.
Naccache has accused Epstein of violating his rights and threatening him in multiple ways. According to him, Epsteinhas set up cameras to monitor his house, assaulted his parents in March 2021, and has threatened to kill Naccache.
That sounds pretty bad, right?
But the twist is that none of it is true. In fact, Judge Galiatsatos found that the situation is the exact opposite.
“Naccache has installed four closed-circuit cameras filming the front of his house at all times. He has also installed two dashboard cameras in his parents’ vehicles, a third rear-facing camera in his father’s car, and a high-resolution camera on his motorcycle helmet. Between March and May of 2021, he monitored these cameras for any sign of [Epstein] and his family,” the court documents state.
So, it’s actually Naccache who’s filming his neighbor. But what about Epstein assaulting his parents?
Well, Naccache’s own cameras disprove his claims. The footage law enforcement officials acquired about the supposed assault shows that Naccache’s father is the one to push Epstein — who doesn’t do anything.
That’s despite the fact that Naccache’s father almost just ran over his kid.
So, that’s two of the complaints turned on their heads.
‘You F***ing Crazy Neigbor! You’re f***ing dead!’
But what about the death threats? Naccache claims that on May 18, 2021, he was doing renovations on his house, when Epstein approached him unprovoked, flipped him off with both hands, and then made a throat-slashing gesture at him.
Unfortunately for Naccache, his own cameras betray him once again. The video footage does show Epstein giving Naccache the finger, but he never approached him and simply walked by his house on the sidewalk.
In his testimony, Epstein said he was going on a walk on May 18, when he happened to glance at Naccache, who was working on his home. Noticing this, Naccache — wielding an electric drill — started yelling at Epstein.
“You f***ing crazy neighbor! You dipshit!” he yelled. Then, he brandished his drill.
“You’re f***ing dead!” Naccache added.
At this point, Epstein claims his patience wore thin. He said he flipped the bird at Naccache, told him to “f*** off,” and went on his way without any throat-slitting gestures.
When he returned from his walk, a police officer was waiting for him at his home. He handed Epstein a summons to court.
A Matter of Credibility
And here we are — Naccache and Epstein presented their stories and evidence to Judge Galiatsatos. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the judge didn’t have to wonder for too long which of the neighbors he would believe.
“Having heard the testimony and carefully reviewed the audiovisual evidence, the Court does not believe Mr. Naccache. It rejects his testimony as rehearsed, evasive, and untruthful on many levels,” the case ruling notes.
Judge Galiatsatos notes that there is obviously bad blood between the two neighbors. Yet, Epstein has done nothing illegal.
Naccache, on the other hand, should thank his lucky stars that Epstein hadn’t charged him with everything he accused Epstein of doing. The judge noted that he would’ve been well within his ability to do so — and his complaints would’ve been much more credible.
Kudos to Mr. Epstein for being the bigger man, we suppose.
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