4 charged after cabbies stormed Coventry Connections in November

Four southern Ontario men have been charged with assault and breaking and entering after a protest organized by the union that represents taxi drivers in Ottawa escalated to the violent storming of the Coventry Connections dispatch centre in November.

• Unifor buses protesters in from Quebec, Ontario for taxi driver 'day of action'
• Ottawa losing sympathy for taxi drivers as protests escalate
• Ottawa police arrest 3 in Airport Parkway taxi vandalism case
• Ottawa airport taxi fleet in labour dispute over fees

The men from Woodstock, Meaford, Brantford and Whitby have also been charged with mischief. They are all in their 50s.

Three people working inside the call centre required medical attention after protesting cabbies charged into the building on the morning of Nov. 13 as a labour dispute between Ottawa airport taxi drivers and their dispatcher entered its third month.

Coventry Connections said some of the protesters covered security cameras with garbage bags and ripped out computer cords, but some of the takeover was still captured on camera. The dispatcher estimated the protesters caused $75,000 in damage.

The national president of Unifor, the union that represents the airport taxi drivers, later apologized "if people felt threatened in any form" but emphasized that drivers are suffering financially as the dispute drags on.

Unifor bused in taxi drivers from across Ontario and Quebec for the protest.

Airport taxi drivers were locked out by Coventry Connections in August after refusing to accept an increase in fees for exclusive access to the airport's taxi stand. 

Drivers have previously marched through downtown Ottawa and held protests on the Airport Parkway over the fees — protests that have at times turned violent. 

Hanif Patni, owner of Coventry Connections, refused to comment on the charges as mediated negotiations with Unifor are set to start on Monday.