Two men who have hurled sexist and misogynistic comments at women in downtown London are now feeling the pinch of the city's amended Public Nuisance Bylaw.
In a news release issued Friday, the City of London said Steven Ravbar and Matthew Carapella are charged with violations of the personal invective provision of the city’s Public Nuisance Bylaw.
"In 2019, the city received over 75 complaints specific to actions of these individuals," the release said. "Municipal Law Enforcement Services investigated every complaint received and based on the evaluation of the occurrences, summonses to appear at court were issued."
Ravbar and Carapella have been fixtures in downtown London, often amplifying their speech with microphones and small speakers while wearing sandwich boards with messaging that warns of damnation for those who don't follow their interpretation of the bible. Several women have reported being told by the pair that they would not get into Heaven because they wear pants.
The city's Public Nuisance Bylaw was amended last year to include "unnecessary interference with the use and enjoyment of public space as a result of abusive or insulting language." The amendment was largely the result of complaints about Ravbar and Carapella.
