Anti-feminist blogger who published posts touting Polytechnique gunman granted bail

MONTREAL – Bail has been granted to a Montreal blogger alleged to have glorified the gunman behind Montreal’s 1989 Ecole polytechnique killings.

Jean-Claude Rochefort had been held since Dec. 5 — the eve of the 30th anniversary of the anti-feminist attack at the Montreal engineering school

He is charged with one count of inciting hatred towards women.

Under strict conditions governing his release, the 70-year-old is barred from using the internet, communicating with other anti-feminists and publishing on any type of anti-feminist forum.

The Crown had opposed bail, considering Rochefort a risk to reoffend.

Rochefort, who the court heard has openly extolled the gunman behind the Polytechnique shootings in his writings, published extensively in the lead-up to the anniversary.

He claimed during his bail hearing that his blog reached 60,000 readers — mainly young men involved in the incel movement. Incels, or involuntary celibates, promote the misogynistic idea that men are entitled to have sex with women.

Rochefort’s case returns to court on Jan. 31.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2019.