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A downtown businessman is accusing Windsor police of having “bullied” his landlord into throwing him out of his commercial home.

George Metropoulos, co-owner of CBD Emporium, said he will sue the police over the loss of his business and his former landlord for terminating his property lease. He’s launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the legal fees in his fight to re-open in Windsor.

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The landlord insists local police were just doing their job, but Rhys Trenhaile said he’s as upset at new Ontario laws he blames for forcing him to kick out “a good, paying tenant.”

And a Toronto criminal lawyer who deals with cannabis cases believes the evicted commercial tenant might have a strong civil case against the Windsor Police Service for damages.

On May 13, after CBD Emporium had closed for the night, a bailiff accompanied by a locksmith changed the locks at the business located at 469 Pelissier St. and posted a “Notice to Terminate” on the front window. The bailiff, acting for the building’s owner, told the Star that, while supportive of the businessman and his operation, a threat of police action against the landlord couldn’t be ignored and triggered the tenant’s eviction notice.