A Fort Erie man has been found guilty of assault causing bodily harm after a protest at Brock University in fall 2016 turned violent.

Frederick Bracken, 40, was found guilty in absentia Monday in Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines.

After being arraigned on the charge and asked several times by Judge Peter Bishop to enter a plea, Bracken refused to answer and left the courtroom.

Assistant Crown attorney Jeffrey Levy told court he was prepared to proceed with the trial in Bracken's absence and the judge entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf.

The judge adjourned sentencing until Wednesday in order to give Bracken an opportunity to attend his sentencing hearing. He instructed Niagara Regional Police to contact the defendant to inform him of the verdict and the upcoming court date.

Levy said he will be seeking a jail sentence as penalty.

On Nov. 1, 2016, court was told, a group of people had gathered near Brock's international centre on Glenridge Avenue in response to a man holding a large sign that read "Trump was right: F--k China. F--k Mexico."

A Brock student testified he approached Bracken and grabbed the sign because he felt the message was racist.

The business administration student was punched in the head and fell to the ground. While on the ground, court heard, he was punched several more times and kicked in the head.

When he stood up, court was told, he realized he was missing a tooth.

"I just remember looking for my tooth," he said.

He underwent a dental procedure later that day to re-insert the tooth and to repair a second tooth which had been "shoved sideways."

The young man said he suffered facial and dental pain for about 12 months after the incident and continues to receive dental treatment for the damaged tooth.

While the physical pain has subsided, he told court he now suffers from bouts of anxiety as a result of the incident.

"Did you consent to being struck by Mr. Bracken?" the Crown asked.

"No," the complainant replied.

"Did anyone else strike you that day besides Mr. Bracken?"

"No."

Several cellphone videos of the incident were played in court.

"The videos are very clear on what happened," the judge said. "Mr. Bracken has no legal defence to assault causing bodily harm."

Three months before the Brock incident, Bracken came to the attention of Niagara Parks Police after he stood in a busy park near the falls holding a sign that also read "Trump is right. F--k China. F--k Mexico." He was told by police the sign was offensive and disturbing visitors and warned if he returned to the park with the sign he would be removed under trespassing laws.

He turned to the courts, seeking a declaration that parks rules prohibiting "abusive or insulting language" that interferes with other park users was unconstitutional, and that the oral trespass notice police gave him had violated his free speech rights.

In September 2016, Superior Court Justice in Welland ruled that constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression does not apply to shouting insulting or abusive language in parks.

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Bracken took the matter to the Court of Appeal, which found the judge was mistaken to conclude that park rules did not infringe on free speech.

Ontario's top court said the ability to protest publicly — even using vulgar language — is an essential part of the democratic process.