Two people involved in a flag burning at a Brantford, Ont. restaurant have been identified. The Brantford Police Service said one of them, a 34-year-old man, has since been charged with arson and mischief. They shared the update on Friday morning, one day after the owner of Mercasa Little Italy Eatery & Catering shared his story with CTV News. Tom Mercante said two people showed up at his restaurant on Wednesday asking for free food. Mercasa is part of a program called “Pass the Puck Forward,” where customers pre-pay for meals that can be claimed by those in need. While staff members were preparing the food, they noticed the restaurant’s Italian flag on fire. Mercante said they tore it down and brought it outside, where they proceeded to stomp out the flames. He called the incident upsetting and “very disrespectful.” It did not, however, stop him from giving the pair the meals they requested. “We’ll always do what’s right. We’ll always help the community,” Mercante said. “A one-off instance like this is not going to change how we do things.” New flag Mercante also got a special surprise from the founder of “Pass the Puck Forward.” On Friday, Steve Karalis gifted him a new Italian flag to replace the one that was damaged in the fire. It now hangs proudly in the front window of Mercasa. With reporting from Krista Sharpe-Kilpatrick
