Charges laid against six supporters of the Grassy Narrows First Nation after a protest outside the Ontario legislature last June have been dropped.

They were arrested by Toronto police after sludge-like material was dumped on the driveway near the legislature entrance.

A label painted on the barrels read “Mercury Kills,” with a skull and crossbones painted below, however it was later determined that the material  was not harmful.

The demonstrators were trying to draw attention to the ongoing impact on Grassy Narrows residents from mercury dumped by a Dryden paper mill  into the English and Wabigoon River systems in the 1960s.

Charges against them included mischief and wearing a disguise with intent to commit an indictable offence.

In explaining the decision to withdraw the charges, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Attorney-General said that “In all cases, the Crown is required to assess the strength of a case throughout a prosecution, and is duty bound to withdraw charges if there is no reasonable prospect of conviction, or if it is not in the public interest to proceed.” 

The emailed statement to tbnewswatch.com added that “In this matter, the Crown carefully examined all aspects of the available evidence, as well as the applicable law and the individual circumstances of the accused, including their completion of community service hours.”