According to a statement, 37-year-old Richard Schillers from London was charged with causing a disturbance and possessing a weapon dangerous to the public. As CTV News previously reported, police were contacted around 2 p.m. on July 16 regarding a disturbance in the area of Wortley Road and Elmwood Avenue where a Pride event was underway on a public green space. On Tuesday, Schillers spoke to CTV News London by phone and claimed the narrative surrounding the incident is wrong. “Stay tuned and grab your popcorn [for] when the truth is told,” he said. Sillers added that there are two sides to what happened on Saturday at Wortley Village, but declined to elaborate, preferring first to tell his story to online outlets he believes are “true”. He said his family is not homophobic, adding that his wife is bisexual. “What I want to get rid of, right out of the gate, is the whole portrayal of us as a homophobic family. We are… my family is part of that community, except I guess they don’t accept everyone unless you leave with the whole their narrative,” Schillers said. As a small business owner he fears that the attention will affect his ability to obtain future work. Schillers has been released from custody and is expected to appear in court in London on August 25 in connection with the charges. — With files from CTV News London’s Daryl Newcombe
