A 32-year-old Saskatchewan man, Travis Patron, previously convicted of promoting hatred against Jewish people, is now facing accusations of impersonating a peace officer in Saskatoon.
Patron was found guilty of the hate speech charge in October 2022 for posting an anti-Semitic video online. He also has a previous conviction for assaulting two Regina teachers.
Saskatoon police announced on Wednesday that they arrested a man from Redvers, Sask. in connection with two incidents of impersonating a peace officer.
The first incident occurred on July 29 when police were called to the Delta Bessborough hotel in downtown Saskatoon. Patron allegedly approached a woman and her child, identified himself as a police officer, and accused her of abduction. He then followed the woman inside the hotel, causing a disturbance.
On Tuesday, another incident was reported at the University of Saskatchewan, where Patron allegedly identified himself as a peace officer and offered to escort a woman through an area on campus. The woman declined his offer.
The university issued an alert to the campus community warning of Patron’s presence on its property and asked anyone who spotted him to contact campus protective services.
During his first appearance in Saskatoon provincial court on Thursday, Patron claimed to be a “federal agent” of the Canadian Nationalist Party, a political party he has been associated with since 2017. The party was deregistered last year by Elections Canada for falling below the required 250-member threshold. According to the party’s website, one of its aims is to “maintain Canada’s European-descended demographic majority.”
Patron repeatedly insisted in court that he did not have a criminal record and had never been convicted, calling his detention “arbitrary.” He has a history of representing himself in criminal matters and introducing arguments involving bible verses or referencing the Magna Carta.
Facing impersonation charges and two counts of violating court-ordered conditions related to previous convictions, Patron’s request for release was denied, and legal counsel was assigned to him. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 9.