VANCOUVER - A British Columbia legislator is initiating a private prosecution against a Vancouver woman who referred to Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel as "heroic." Dallas Brodie, the leader of the OneBC party, has filed allegations of "terrorism offences" against Charlotte Kates in B.C. provincial court.

Kates is identified on her social media accounts as the international coordinator for Samidoun, an organization that was designated as a terrorist entity by Canada in 2024. Typically, criminal proceedings begin with a law enforcement officer filing information about the alleged offence. However, in a private prosecution, an individual from the public submits the information and swears it under oath for a judge's review by Crown prosecutors.

Brodie and her party have provided an unsigned copy of the information, which accuses Kates of "glorifying and defending terrorist entities." This includes statements made at pro-Palestinian rallies in Vancouver. Kates was previously arrested in 2024 after delivering a speech at a rally where she stated, "long live October 7" and praised the attack.

According to Samidoun, Kates was released under certain conditions, and no charges were filed against her at that time. The organization has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding Brodie's private prosecution.