Man charged after hospital mask dispute, spitting incident

(David Imrie / CTV Kitchener)

KITCHENER — Brantford police say they have charged a man who spat on two security guards after being asked to wear a mask in Brantford General Hospital.

Officers were called to the hospital shortly after midnight on Jan. 2. Officials say security saw the man just after midnight and recognized him from "several previous disturbances" earlier in the day.

According to police, the man refused to wear a mask, which goes against the hospital's COVID-19 policy.

Police also say the man damaged dividers that were installed for pandemic safety.

The man was asked to leave and police say he spat in the face of the security guards. He also threatened to damage the building and injure patients, officials say.

Police say he spat on the security guards again when they tried to arrest him.

Brantford Police were called around 1 a.m. and took the man into custody.

The 31-year-old Brantford man is facing multiple charges including failure to comply, causing disturbance, assault, resisting arrest, uttering threats, failing to leave a property and failure to comply with the Reopening Ontario Act.

He was held for a bail hearing, according to police.