A judge has awarded the owner of GTA restaurant chain Paramount Fine Foods $2.5 million in damages against a failed mayoral candidate who accused him and his customers of being “jihadists.”

In a Monday ruling, Ontario Superior Court Justice Jane E. Ferguson found Kevin Johnston and the website FreedomReport.ca defamed Paramount owner and CEO Mohamad Fakih in a series of videos that showed the self-styled journalist protesting outside a Paramount location in Mississauga.

Johnston’s behaviour is “a loathsome example of hate speech at its worst, targeting people solely because of their religion,” Ferguson wrote in a summary judgment.

In the videos, posted between July 2017 and August 2018, Johnston accused the restaurant chain of being a “front” that is “up to something nefarious,” and said anyone who enters must be a “jihadist.”

The videos also ran with an altered photograph of Fakih that depicted him with blood on his hands and face.

In an interview with the Star, Fakih said he got emotional when he read the ruling. “Like I said to my children, when people are bullying you, don’t take it as if it’s OK.”

Read more:

Peel police charge Mississauga man with hate crime

Court ruling a victory for opponents of hate speech

Anti-Muslim agitator gives video apology to owner of Paramount Fine Foods over ‘jihadist’ comments

Fakih had also sued anti-Muslim agitator Ranendra (Ron) Banerjee over the videos. He was removed from the lawsuit in December after he delivered an “unqualified” apology in a videotaped statement and settled with Fakih for a confidential cash payment.

Banerjee was with Johnston protesting outside the Mississauga Paramount location on the same day that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a Liberal Party fundraiser there.

“Such hate has no place in Canada and I will not make public comments of this nature in the future,” Banerjee said in his apology.

According to Ferguson’s ruling, Johnston did not file any supporting materials in his defence.

Speaking to the Star by phone, Johnston said he was “bewildered” by the judgment.

According to the ruling, Johnston runs FreedomReport.ca and several YouTube channels and social media accounts in which he broadcast hate and has called Muslims “terrorists” who are in Canada “to take this country over.”

Johnston makes such statements with no regard for the law, Ferguson wrote, adding he often invites his targets to sue him, “to ‘bring it on’ or to ‘come and see me,’ or words to that effect.”

The ruling also notes that Johnston has repeatedly disrespected the court throughout the proceedings of this case, and expressed “contempt” to its judges. In one video, the ruling says, Johnston accused the court of being “in on” a conspiracy to “pull a fast one” on him.

He said the court’s “white judges” — “this white woman judge” — are “letting Mr. Fakih get away with funding terror,” Ferguson wrote in the ruling.

Johnston ran for mayor of Mississauga last October, finishing second with 13.5 per cent of the vote.

In addition to $2.5 million in damages, the ruling requires Johnston to remove and/or destroy the videos and permanently restrains him from coming within 100 metres of Fakih, his family members or his business.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Fakih, who was born in Lebanon, founded Paramount in 2007 and has since grown the chain to more than 50 restaurants.

He said the ruling reinforced his trust in the Canadian justice system. “I can’t wait for my kids to come home today,” he said.

“I’m going to read the ruling to them. They deserve this victory more than I do.”