Adamson BBQ owner charged after standoff with police, supporters protest outside Ford’s home

The owner of Adamson BBQ is facing several charges after crowds formed once again outside the restaurant fined with defying lockdown orders the previous two days. Supporters are now protesting outside Premier Doug Ford’s home.

The City of Toronto had changed the locks on the doors on the restaurant and it remained closed today, but that didn’t stop supporters of owner Adam Skelly from showing up.

Police say they allowed Skelly to enter a portion of the building where there is no access to the restaurant to obtain personal belongings. They allege he and other broke through the drywall in order to enter the restaurant and damaged the locks that had been changed earlier in the day.

Toronto police say Skelly, who is 33 years old, was arrested for attempting to obstruct police and trespassing after he allegedly attempted to gain access into the restaurant from the front entranceway.

A second man was also arrested for assaulting a police officer. In video taken of the arrest, it appears at least one other man was put in handcuffs as a scuffle ensued.

The 27-year-old from Markham is facing several charges including six counts of assaulting a police officer, five of which allege he spat at an officer, attempt to obstruct police and uttering threats.

Both will be held overnight for a bail hearing.

Supporters that were outside the restaurant then headed to Premier Ford’s house in Etobicoke where they continue to protest.

A statement from the Premier’s office called said the gathering “goes beyond acceptable political protest.”

“Neither his family nor his neighbours should be subjected to this kind of harassment and intimidation. These protests have been ongoing for several weeks,” read the statement. “We are pleading with them to leave those who have nothing to do with our government’s policies alone.”

The City of Toronto has now taken occupancy of the entire property and will be putting in additional measures to ensure the same thing won’t happen again on Friday.

Some of the measures include boarding up the restaurant, changing the locks on the backdoor and fixing the locks that were damaged earlier Thursday.

Police will also remain on the property overnight.

WATCH: Reporter Tina Yazdani was live at Adamson BBQ as crowds form for the third straight day at the restaurant defying lockdown orders

Prior to Skelly’s arrest, people began pounding on the doors of the restaurant that had been surround by police, chanting “open” and “we’re hungry.”

Police had blocked the road leading to the restaurant, blocking a delivery truck with food. Some people were seen helping carrying supplies over to the building.

“I’ve spoken to the police chief this morning … and they have a plan. He’s informed me the locks have been changed on the building … and there’s going to be a police presence there also … it is going to be closed today, you can be sure of that,” said Tory.

Police and city staff had arrived at the establishment around 6 a.m. with locksmiths in tow to change the locks.

Toronto Police/city staff with locksmiths in tow move in on Adamson Barbecue in Etobicoke to prevent it from opening indoor dining room for third straight day. Locks changed. The owner had been defying lockdown rules. This “raid” happened just before 6am. pic.twitter.com/ipPNCaAbAd

— carl hanstke (@carlCityNews) November 26, 2020

A short time after the locks were changed, a post on the restaurant’s Instagram page said: “Need locksmith & other hands at Etobicoke ASAP.”

 

 

 

On Wednesday, Toronto police Supt. Domenic Sinopoli said that if Skelly chose to open again, action would be taken.

“We are in a position to stop him if he opens tomorrow, the next day and so forth. The strategy will change from day-to-day depending on what we’re faced with,” Sinopoli said.

Skelly is facing a total of nine charges over the last two days.

Municipal Licensing and Standards and Toronto Public Health both laid new charges Wednesday, as did the province under the Reopening Ontario Act.

Skelly is scheduled to appear in court on March 19, 2021. Police say nobody in the large crowd that congregated at the restaurant was charged.

The restaurant did close later Wednesday afternoon, but it’s not yet clear if it did so out of compliance with orders, or simply because for the second straight day it ran out of food.

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