A $3 million lawsuit against the University of Guelph from an associate professor and outspoken opponent of COVID vaccine mandates has been dropped.
Byram Bridle, a viral immunologist at the school’s Ontario Veterinary College, filed a lawsuit in December of 2022 claiming he experienced online harassment, was instructed to “censor” his comments and withdraw from public appearances after speaking out against “short-cuts in the research and development” of COVID vaccines.
He filed a notice of discontinuance against the “remaining defendants” on Wednesday.
Efforts to reach Bridle, the law firm representing him in the suit and University of Guelph officials for comment on the withdrawal weren’t immediately successful.
It’s unknown whether the withdrawal includes any form of out-of-court settlement.
In its statement of defence, the school denied staff members harassed Bridle or told him to censor himself from speaking about vaccine mandates.
Bridle’s notice of discontinuance provided no detail about what led to the lawsuit’s withdrawal.
The associate professor was seeking $500,000 in general damages, $500,000 in punitive damages, $500,000 in aggravated damages and $1.5 million regarding the loss of lab equipment as well as grant and research funding.
He claimed the actions of the defendants, which included U of G president Charlotte Yates and others, set his career back 10 years.
