The man behind the King St. ice sculpture that gave the middle finger to the transit pilot project there is running for city councillor in Ward 20.

Al Carbone, owner of the Kit Kat Italian Bar & Grill, made headlines as an outspoken critic of the King St. transit pilot this winter with his inventive form of protest. He is now the seventh candidate to register to run in the newly created downtown ward which has no incumbent.

“I’m running for city council because I’m fed up with pet projects being approved and rammed down this neighbourhoods’ collective throats with no regard to how residents, business owners and the little guys and gals trying to get around this great city … will be affected,” Carbone said in a statement Friday.

In January, Carbone wanted the King St. transit pilot shut down because he said the limited vehicular traffic and on-street parking was hurting businesses.

He is running against Han Dong, April Engelberg, Dean Maher, Ausma Malik, Kevin Vuong and Sabrina Zuniga.

“Common sense must prevail,” said Carbone in his statement. “Instead, we get Russian-style autocratic dictates that would make even Putin blush.”