A day after Ward 13 runner-up Andrew Crook defended a recent Facebook post about his experience as a candidate in the municipal election, he said the comments were a call for “political accountability, not violence.” Crook wrote in a follow-up post Tuesday morning: “I entered this election believing London needed change. Now that it’s over, I believe we also need to change how we disagree. That includes me.” His original post referred to some elected politicians as sociopaths and stated, “The rope is useless unless we are prepared to use it to hang them.” Crook now says his words crossed a line. “My language went too far, particularly the reference to using someone’s own ‘rope’ against them. I should have expressed myself differently,” he wrote. He added the post stemmed from “frustration with the hostility I witnessed during the election, including personal attacks, intimidation and vandalism experienced by me and other candidates.” In the Oct. 26, 2026, municipal election, incumbent David Ferreira received 4,308 votes, or 69.54 per cent, in Ward 13. Crook finished a distant second with 735 votes, or 11.86 per cent. His follow-up post reads: “I want to thank Daryl Newcombe and CTV News for the opportunity to address my recent Facebook comments. “I entered this election believing London needed change. Now that it’s over, I believe we also need to change how we disagree. “That includes me. “We can start with common ground, disagree honestly, and hold people accountable without treating one another as enemies. “The comments in question came from frustration with the hostility I witnessed during the election, including personal attacks, intimidation and vandalism experienced by me and other candidates. “My language went too far, particularly the reference to using someone’s own ‘rope’ against them. I should have expressed myself differently. I was calling for political accountability, not violence. I do not advocate threats or physical harm against anyone. “I can stand my ground on the need for accountability while recognizing that I can do better in how I communicate it. “The election is over. My responsibility to participate continues.”
