Fake Bomb at the Royal Ontario Museum

A 24-year-old Ontario College of Art and Design student who planted a fake bomb at the Royal Ontario Museum for an art project has been released on $33,000 bail.

Thorarinn Jonsson turned himself in to police last night and was charged with common nuisance and mischief that interferes with property. He spent the night in custody and appeared at Old City Hall this morning.

The bomb hoax forced the evacuation of the ROM, and canceled a major fundraiser for the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research Wednesday night.

Mr. Jonsson said he left the fake pipe bomb, which he described as a sculpture, in a bag at the ROM around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, with a note indicating that it was not a bomb. Then went to his third year production class to present a video he made called “The fake bombing at the ROM”. The short video depicted a woman walking through the museum, before an apparent explosion. Mr. Jonsson posted the video on YouTube. He has said that his project was meant to demonstrate “recontextualization” - the notion that the context in which an item is placed changes its meaning.

“We see it as an individual who planted this device in a museum, in a public place, and it impacted on a lot of police resources and members of the public,” Detective Leslie Dunkley, who investigated the case, told reporters today. “It is a big deal."

OCAD has suspended Mr. Jonsson and his production class teachers pending an internal investigation. OCAD president Sara Diamond said the teachers had no idea that the class project involved planting something at the ROM. She said the student “crossed the line”

Friends who attended court to support Mr. Jonsson denounced the “witch hunt” that has followed him.
“It’s art because it makes us think,” said Daniel Epstein, a U of T student. He said his friend was not trying to deliberately shut down the AIDS benefit. In media interviews, Mr. Jonsson has regretted ruining the AIDS fundraisers, but said he did not know it was to be held. He did not blame himself for the fallout.