A member of the Canadian armed forces has been charged with “endeavoring to persuade another person to join in a mutiny,” after calling on his fellow soldiers to refuse to participate in the distribution of COVID-vaccines, the Ottawa Citizen reported. Officer Cadet Ladislas “Lesley” Kenderesi, a member of the Reserve Cadet Instructor Cadre, is also facing one count of behaving in a scandalous manner unbecoming of an officer. The charges can be traced back to a December 2020 anti-lockdown rally in Toronto that Kenderesi attended in uniform, addressing the crowd and calling the COVID vaccine “a killer.” In the speech, which was posted to YouTube, Kenderesi said, “I’m asking military, right now serving, truck drivers, medical, engineers, whatever you are, do not take this unlawful order [for] the distribution of this vaccine.” A mutiny-related charge is extremely rare, retired colonel and lawyer Michel Drapeau told the paper. “You would likely have to go back to the late 1940s in the Royal Canadian Navy for anything that might be similar,” said Drapeau.

Kenderesi, who was introduced at the rally as a tank driver, machine-gunner and hand-to-hand combat expert, “was charged on May 12, 2021 for speaking out against the experimental gene therapy on Dec 5 at the human rights assembly at Dundas Square in Toronto,” states a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Kenderesi’s legal defense. “One of the charges—Mutiny—has a maximum punishment of life in prison!!! That is right—possible life in prison for speaking out. This legal fight will be costly and difficult and may take years to defend.” Created 10 days ago, the fundraiser has brought in just $555 (Canadian) of its $50,000 goal.