A mayoral candidate in Ottawa is currently facing charges for allegedly issuing death threats against Ontario Premier Doug Ford and the incumbent Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. Geoffrey Nicholas Griplas was recently charged with two counts of criminal harassment and two counts of uttering death threats, stemming from social media posts made between September 6 and September 13.
According to court documents obtained by CBC News, the charges specify that the incidents occurred in Kingston, Ontario and were deemed to potentially threaten the safety of the premier and the mayor. Griplas, who previously ran for Ottawa city council in 2018, registered for the mayoral race on August 21 and is listed as Geoff Nicholas, with Griplas mentioned in his nomination documents.
Social media posts on Griplas’s Facebook page show disturbing content, including images of a campsite on fire with threatening messages directed at Mayor Sutcliffe. Griplas appeared in court virtually on Thursday and is currently in custody awaiting a court appearance on September 21 for a possible bail hearing.
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) has acknowledged the seriousness of the threats against Mayor Sutcliffe, stating that they have taken steps to enhance policing responses. Sutcliffe’s office declined to comment on the matter, while Ford’s office refrained from addressing issues before the court.
In a previous incident following the 2018 election, Griplas faced criminal harassment charges, resulting in a guilty plea for mischief and probation. The bar for registering as a mayoral candidate in Ottawa is relatively low, requiring a fee and signatures from 25 residents, as per municipal election rules.
Despite the current situation, Griplas is expected to remain on the ballot for the upcoming election on October 26, as certified candidates are mandated to be listed in accordance with the Municipal Elections Act.
