A Montreal area man loses fight to keep painted Greek flag on garage door

[Angelo]

A Montreal area man loses fight to keep painted Greek flag on garage door

THE CANADIAN PRESS

MONTREAL - A Quebec superior court told Theodore Antonopoulos last week that he had to remove the large Greek flag painted on his garage door.

But the Montreal resident is considering appealing the decision.

"I'll speak with my lawyer and see what's involved time-wise, money-wise," Antonopoulos said in a phone interview.

It's been more than four years since Antonopoulos painted the blue-and-white flag on the garage door of his Montreal-area home in a fit of patriotic fervour during the 2004 European soccer championships.

Greece had just won a surprising victory over host Portugal.

Antonopoulos was fined $138 by the Montreal borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro when an inspector turned up after a neighbour's complaint and ordered it removed.

He contested the fine at the municipal court but lost in 2007.

He then hired Montreal human rights lawyer Julian Grey, who argued that the bylaw involved was illegal because it infringed on Antonopoulos' right to freedom of expression.

But in her ruling, Superior Court judge France Charbonneau wrote that the municipality had the right to set uniform standards within its jurisdiction and upheld the bylaw, which prohibits residents from installing a sign that is painted or reproduced on a building or a fence.

Antonopoulos said he is disappointed in the ruling.

And despite the flap, the flag is still there.

"I'm not sick of it at all," he said.

[Napalm]

The thing that is ridiculous to me is how it was acceptable to pick on Greeks for this but not on other groups for things that neighbours find offensive.
For example many of my Canadian neighbours have Pakis living next door and their stinking curry cooking is far more offensive to their (Pakis) neighbours than a painting flag but the government would never think of putting cases like that through the courts. The same can be said about smelly fish neighbours like filipinos or vietnamese.

When Muslims build mosques those buildings are an offense to many Canadians (especially those who are descendant from victims of muslim murderers) but they wouldn't consider them being taken away.

[half greek]

Originally Posted by Napalm
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The thing that is ridiculous to me is how it was acceptable to pick on Greeks for this but not on other groups for things that neighbours find offensive.
For example many of my Canadian neighbours have Pakis living next door and their stinking curry cooking is far more offensive to their (Pakis) neighbours than a painting flag but the government would never think of putting cases like that through the courts. The same can be said about smelly fish neighbours like filipinos or vietnamese.

When Muslims build mosques those buildings are an offense to many Canadians (especially those who are descendant from victims of muslim murderers) but they wouldn't consider them being taken away.

Its probably a Skopian or Turk who complained, as for living next door to a Paki I wouldn't recommend it unless you like the smell of curry 24/7, 365 days a year.

[Ellinas]

Is this new real? Why it could be forbidden to have a national flag at your property? I could understand it if it was a flag with a swastica or something, but we are talking about a national flag. Are foreign flags forbidden in Canada or something? The embassies don't have any flags?

[Female]

Originally Posted by Ellinas
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Is this new real? Why it could be forbidden to have a national flag at your property? I could understand it if it was a flag with a swastica or something, but we are talking about a national flag. Are foreign flags forbidden in Canada or something? The embassies don't have any flags?

I agree with you Ellinas, never heard of something like this here before......

[Angelo]

Mr Antonopoulos new very well about this bylaw before he purchased his house in this area of Montreal.I work in this area, very high end area mix population of English- greek- Jews. You can get fined for littering and jaywalking.

If Antonopulos would have purchased his house in almost any area of Montreal he would be able to keep his flag on his garage.Its stupid bylaws put in place in certain municipality in greater montreal area. Theirs nothing he can do about it, hes just wasting money for nothing on lawyers.

[gorgona]

There are many neighborhoods here (California) where you agree to the Homeowners Association’s rules when you buy a home. They can control everything from the color of your house to the types of plants you have in your yard. We have friends who can’t park their car outside or (gasp!) work on their car in the driveway.

[Hellenika]

This sounds like he has painted a Greek flag on his garage door, not an actual flag on the property. But of course this wouldn't matter if it was one of the protected races painting their flag somewhere. He needs to find out who complained, that's public info, he needs to find out and go after them for something.

[Angelo]

Curtain comes down on patriotic garage door


Violates aesthetic standards. But Pierrefonds man leaves the door open to appeal A

Pierrefonds man has been ordered to remove the huge Greek flag painted on the garage door of his house because it violates the borough's aesthetic standards.

Quebec Superior Court judge France Charbonneau ruled last week that nothing prevents Theodore Antonopoulos from flying the Greek flag on his property, but that by painting blue and white stripes on his garage door he has violated municipal restrictions governing the overall look of the streetscape.

"A municipality has the authority to set uniform standards within its jurisdiction and for the buildings within it," Charbonneau writes.


Font:****News of the ruling, which is in agreement with a previous ruling from a lower court, has taken Antonopoulos by surprise.

"It's a shock to me. I haven't been informed, and the flag is still there," he told The Gazette yesterday. "I will speak to my lawyer and see if there are grounds for an appeal. None of the neighbours have complained to me about it. None at all."

Antonopoulos painted the two-metre by four-metre flag on the door of his double garage in 2004 to celebrate Greece's victory over Portugal in the European Soccer championship that year.

Shortly afterward, he was slapped with a $138 ticket because installing "a sign that is painted or reproduced on a building or a fence" violates Pierrefonds municipal Bylaw 1047, Article 124.2.

Antonopoulos decided to contest the fine. Last year, Municipal Court judge André Hotte ruled against him, saying people cannot paint whatever they want on their houses.

"What if everyone painted their sports team, their country's flag, even Mickey Mouse on their home?" Hotte said. "If everyone expresses their patriotism, that is visual pollution and not harmonious with the neighbourhood."

Undeterred, Antonopoulos took his case to a higher court. His lawyer, Julius Grey, argued the municipal bylaw is illegal because it violates the freedom of expression guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Human Rights.

Depending on the advice of his lawyer, Antonopoulos is prepared to continue the fight.

"It has cost me some money in expenses to go to court," he said. "But I'm not prepared to disclose how much."


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[phoenix]

Originally Posted by Hellenika
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This sounds like he has painted a Greek flag on his garage door, not an actual flag on the property. But of course this wouldn't matter if it was one of the protected races painting their flag somewhere. He needs to find out who complained, that's public info, he needs to find out and go after them for something.

Hellenika,I wouldnt want to have you as an ENEMY!!