THUNDER BAY -- There were fireworks inside the Thunder Bay Courthouse Tuesday afternoon, as protestors clashed with a woman accused of killing a dog inside a Northwood home.
Animal cruelty charges against 57-year-old Doug Mitchell and 40-year-old Marlene Finlayson haven't yet been proven in court, but online the condemnation has been swift.
Brenda Sperandio was one of a handful of protestors at the Thunder Bay Courthouse to watch one of the accused, Marlene Finlayson hear the charges laid against her and to speak on behalf of the deceased animal nicknamed Karma by the online community.
“We need to stand up for animal abuse,” Sperandio said. “It’s gone on far too long and it’s been swept under the rug, so we just want to make sure that persons responsible get charged to the full extent of the Ontario law.”
Directly following the proceedings there was a confrontation between protestors and the accused.
The protestors were getting right in the face of Finlayson, showing their signs and calling her a murderer.
Finlayson became agitated and this went on for several minutes before security intervened and eventually separated the two parties.
The protestors said they will be following this case closely and Sperandio believes this will now become the norm in animal cruelty cases such as this one, with protestors outside and inside the court room.
“We are going to watch for this kind of stuff now,” Sperandio said.
“We are going to be Karma’s voice and this is the way it’s going to be for now on.”
Finlayson's co-accused, Doug Mitchell, appeared in court last week and has been remand to custody.
None of the charges against the pair have been proven in court.
(TBT News)
