Rally against accused Kelowna animal torturer planned

A rally aimed at keeping the attention on accused animal abuser Leighton Allen Labute is planned for Kelowna Law Courts today, Sept. 15, at 9 a.m.

Labute, 20, was charged in May with three counts of killing or injuring an animal and three counts of causing unnecessary pain/suffering to an animal after a video depicting the alleged torture and killing of hamsters was posted on social media platform Reddit.

He was released on bail May 25 for the incidents that were alleged to occur on or around May 1. He is scheduled to consult legal counsel tomorrow. 

“We want to keep the spotlight on him and on the judge,” organizer Noelle Ferguson said today. “We want to say we don’t want to stand for this in our community.”

There are only going to be 20 or so protestors at the rally, but Ferguson said more support is welcome so long as people can abide by COVID-19 protocols.

Masks and sanitizer will be available.

Labute has not been found guilty of a crime.

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