R v Krymowski

In the summer of 1997, a group of Roma people were admitted into Canada, seeking refugee status. While their refugee claim was being reviewed, the group was lodged in a motel in Scarborough, Ontario. On August 26, 1997, a group of around twenty-five people staged a protest in front of the motel. Protesters held signs that said, for example, "Honk if you hate Gypsies", "Canada is not a Trash Can", and "G.S.T. — Gypsies Suck Taxes". They also chanted statements such as "Gypsies Out", "How do you like Canada now?" and "White power". Some of the protestors gave the Nazi "Sieg Heil" salute, some waved Nazi and American Confederate flags, and some wore clothing, accessories and footwear which were described as typical "Skinhead" gear. ==Charges and trial==

Source: All persons charged ranged in age from 15 to 20. No public official or members of the media or police were charged. ==Lower court appeals==

Both the Superior Court of Ontario and later the Court of Appeal for Ontario upheld the acquittals. The Court of Appeal found that "the term gypsy in its broadest sense is often used to refer to people who lead a nomadic life" and "conjures up unflattering or stereotypical images". At the Court of Appeal, the Crown conceded that "not all people who are referred to as gypsies are in fact Roma". ==Appeal to the Supreme Court==

Source: Charron faulted the trial finding as too focussed on the terms "Roma" and "Gypsies," and not on the general question of whether the protesters were attempting to promote hatred of the Roma. Charron emphasized the importance of studying the "totality of the evidence" and drawing reasonable conclusions to determine whether a group was subject to hate speech. ==See also==