Quebec university student gets bail but remains behind bars for now

MONTREAL – A Quebec university student who has been detained for two weeks and faces a variety of charges in connection with the disruption of classes was granted bail Thursday but will remain behind bars for now.

The charges against Hamza Babou include assault, uttering threats and assault with a weapon, with his lawyer saying the latter charge is related to an aerosol can that contained so-called “silly string.”

Babou, 23, was not released Thursday because he is scheduled to appear in court in Montreal on Friday on two additional charges in a separate case.

He was arrested April 15 amid protests at the Universite du Quebec a Montreal against an injunction that prevented students from disrupting classes.

He was denied bail by a municipal judge two days later but a Quebec Superior Court justice overturned that ruling, saying the lower-court judge erred in law.

A prosecutor said Wednesday that further charges would be laid against Babou.